American Beech 

Medium sized tree with simple leaves. Tall truck, dense, narrow, with a rounded crown. Stems my encircle tree, forming thicket. The bark is smooth and light gray. The leaves are dark green, either elliptic or ovate with a pointed tip. The beech produced large crops of fruit every 2 to 8 years. Leaves are 3-6”in length. Elliptic; pointed tip, pointed teeth along the margins. Glossy dark green above, it often has silky tufts of hairs on the veins beneath. 

Distribution: East Coast of the United States

Uses: The wood from American beech is heavy, dense, strong, and resistant to splitting. Since it burns efficiently and has a high heat value, it is often used for charcoal and fuelwood. The harvested timber is used for rough lumber, flooring, plywood, and railroad ties.