Twigs: Gray or yellowish, slender, smooth, more or less zigzag; leaf scars alternate, half-round, with 3 bundle traces.
Buds: Slender, narrow, long-pointed, smooth, reddish-brown, up to ¾ inch long.
Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades up to 4 inches long and 2½ inches broad, oblong, pointed at the tip, rounded or tapering to the somewhat asymmetrical base, coarsely toothed along the edges, blue-green to yellow-green, smooth and shiny on the upper surface, smooth or finely hairy on the lower surface; leaf stalk very short, sometimes hairy.
Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne separately on the same tree, appearing after the leaves have unfolded, the staminate numerous in small spherical heads, the pistillate in groups of 2.
Fruit: Spiny burs up to ¾ inch long, prickly, reddish-brown, containing 1-3 triangular nuts.
Wood: Hard, strong, close-grained, deep reddish-brown.
Uses: Fuel, chairs, tool handles.
Habitat: Rich woods.
Range: Nova Scotia across to Ontario, south to eastern Texas, east to northern Florida.
Distinguishing Features: The stately Beech is recognized by its smooth gray bark and its long, pointed winter buds.