Beech wood: properties and applications. European beech pollination

Beech is a deciduous tree belonging to the Beech family. The distribution range of the species is outlined temperate zone Europe, Asia and North America. European beech represents huge populations on the territory of modern Europe, often grown for landscaping cities in park areas. The plant can be found high in the mountains, the forest beech develops well at an altitude of up to 2300 m above sea level. The beech tree is not only hardy, it dominates the forests over deciduous representatives of other species.

A deciduous tree can grow and develop in one place for several centuries.

On different continents, beech forests from different types of trees are common. Forest beech can be found on the European continent, B. large-leaved is more common in North America. Beech trees are endemic to China and Japan, the Chinese variety of the tree is B. Engler, in Japan there are two species - B. Japanese blue and B. jagged.

A beech tree often reaches a height of up to 30 m, the girth of the trunk can exceed 2 m. An adult growing beech is a giant tree, its trunks, which are gray in color, are covered with smooth bark. Almost to the very top with a powerful crown, beech stems do not have branches. This tree has such a dense crown that the lower branches are never illuminated by the sun, and therefore, the process of photosynthesis is disrupted. That is why the lower branches gradually die off, leaving the beech trunk bare.

Beech leaves have the shape of an oblong oval, along the edge are often decorated with notches or frequent teeth. The length of the leaves is from 5 to 15 cm, the width often reaches up to 10 cm. The leaves fall off in winter.

Beech giants bloom in spring, the color is loose catkins that appear from the buds at the same time as the leaves. Pollination of flowers occurs with the help of wind, while fruiting may occur late. Single strong specimens bear fruit in 20-40 years, in group plantings - by 60 years.

The beech tree is a long-liver, some individuals reach a respectable age of 400 years and above.

What does a beech fruit look like?

Harvest of beech soil ripens in boxes.

Beech fruits are similar to a trihedral acorn up to 15 mm in size. Beech nuts are covered with a hard wooden shell, the seeds ripen 2-4 pieces in a common nest box. Fresh beech fruits are suitable for crop propagation.

Usage

In Russia, forest beech is widely cultivated, which is planted for landscaping urban areas, and is also used to form curly hedges. Culture is often included in group park plantings when forming a green landscape. The dense foliage makes this crop most suitable for planting in industrial areas.

Where beech grows, soils are protected from erosion, silting and flooding. The branched root system of beeches helps to increase soil fertility, saturating the soil layer with organic matter and inorganic compounds.

Beech wood is valuable for the furniture industry, it is used to make curved details of Viennese chairs, figured backs of sofas and other products. Beech wood is used to make musical instruments, plywood, parquet boards, and finishing veneers. Processing of beech raw materials is used in the manufacture of alcohol and beer.

Beech wood develops a unique pink color over time, but is only allowed for indoor use.

Growing beech outdoors

When planting a beech tree in the garden, it is useful to remember that the plant is able to live in one place for centuries, requiring more and more free area around the trunk every year. Beeches can develop well in partial shade and in the open sun, but for favorable growth, it is necessary to choose places protected from the wind for planting.

In the southern regions, the culture does not feel well in the summer heat, it is useful to often water the beeches and spray the crown.

The tree is undemanding to soils, but it is necessary to allocate the wettest area with fertile soil for planting beech seedlings. The culture reacts negatively to soil salinization, prefers fertile loams with the addition of lime.

Care

Spring flowering beech tree.

Beeches are sensitive to temperature changes, the tree feels depressed when the air temperature drops below -5C. IN northern regions this crop should not be planted for outdoor cultivation. Considering that the tree reaches a considerable height, it is unrealistic to provide shelter for the trunk for the winter, therefore, in middle lane beeches should not be grown.

After planting beech seedlings in open ground, it is necessary to provide young trees with regular watering and spraying. To reduce the growth of weeds and the evaporation of moisture from the near-stem circle, it is worth mulching the soil under the planted trees.

Fertilizer for hardwood trees is applied to tree trunks in early spring and late autumn.

reproduction

Autumn beech forest.

For reproduction of beech, you can use basal shoots, which are formed in abundance near the stumps of cut down trees for 2-3 years after felling. The shoots are separated with part of the roots, after which the young tree is planted on permanent place in a hole with good fertile soil. The dimensions of the planting hole should correspond to the size of the roots. After planting, the tree is watered abundantly. In the first years after planting, young beeches grow very hard, reaching greatest height by the age of 50.

Beech nuts ripen on mature trees that have already reached the age of 60-80 years. They can be planted in greenhouses in light fertile soil in the spring. Sometimes root growths form on nuts when stored in a humid room. It is very important to plant beech seeds in the ground in time, until the root seedlings have dried up. You can accelerate the germination of beech nuts by soaking them in stimulating solutions (Epin, Gumat, Zircon, aloe juice).

Young seedlings should be shaded from the burning summer sun, provide plants with uniform abundant watering, when grown in separate pots, strictly monitor the increase in container volume as the roots grow.

It is difficult to describe the magnificence of an adult beech tree, because such power and beauty of luxurious foliage distinguish a spectacular deciduous plant from other inhabitants of the park area, beeches are especially beautiful in autumn, when the leaves are painted in all colors of a fiery yellow palette.

Beech belongs to the family of monoecious plants called beech. This family includes more than a thousand species of trees and shrubs. The most famous representatives of this species, in addition to beech, are oak, chestnut.

Beech forests 85 million years BC occupied a vast territory that stretched from the Urals to Kamchatka. On the American continent, forests occupied Canada, Alaska, Greenland. And about twenty-three million years BC, they replaced the subtropical vegetation in the south of Eurasia and America. With the onset ice age, in the northern part of Europe, it was gradually replaced by coniferous and small-leaved trees. Fossils of trees have been found in Scotland.

Now beech is the most common tree on all continents and parts of the world. It grows even in the mountains, at an altitude of two thousand meters above sea level. In any forest, whether mixed or just deciduous, beech is the dominant tree.

Beech Description

Beech trees are tall. The height of individual trees reaches thirty-five meters, and the diameter can be more than two meters. It belongs to deciduous trees. It has a dense crown, it has no lower branches. Leaves are present only on top of a smooth, gray trunk.

The kidneys appear in winter period. Flowering begins with the appearance of leaves. Unisex flowers are earrings, pollination occurs due to the wind.

The first fruits on beech trees appear no earlier than twenty years after germination. And if the beech forest is very dense, then fruiting can begin even after sixty years. The fruits, the so-called beech nuts, are edible. Their size is from ten to fifteen centimeters.

Beech is a slow growing tree. Perhaps that is why his life span is more than four hundred years. The beech tree grows well in the shade, on loamy soils, does not tolerate severe frosts.

Species classification

In nature, there are the following types of beech.

• Beech town (Fagus crenate Blume). The height of this representative of beech reaches 35 meters. The tree has a dense round crown, the leaves reach a length of ten centimeters. It grows mainly in Japan, where it is dominant in forests. Creates thick impenetrable thickets. In Japan, young leaves are eaten, coffee is made from the fruits;
• Beech Engler (Fagus engleriana Seemen). Grows up to twenty meters. Very branched, oval leaves about eight centimeters long. The trunk with branches, due to the crown, is wide and has the shape of an oval. Belongs to rare breeds of a beech. The tree grows exclusively in China. Cultivated in other countries as an ornamental in parks;
• Large-leaved beech (Fagus grandifolia). Its height does not exceed twenty-five meters, although sometimes there are specimens forty meters high. The diameter of the trunk ranges from sixty centimeters to one meter. The leaves are in the form of an ellipse, with a pointed end, their size is from six to twelve centimeters. In summer, the color of the leaves is blue-green, and in autumn they turn crimson red. Leaves appear in April and fall off in November. Homeland is the eastern part of North America;

• Taiwan beech (Fagus hayatae). A tree twenty meters high. It has much in common with Chinese beech. The tree grows exclusively in Taiwan. Currently rare, due to the fact that it is gradually being replaced from deciduous forests by alpine bamboo. Represented by adults, there are practically no young shoots;
• Japanese beech (Fagus japonica). Its other name is Japanese blue beech. It grows, except for Japan, on the Korean Peninsula. Cultivated in the world since 1905. The height of the trees is fifteen meters. Like Chinese, it can be multi-stemmed. The leaves are pubescent, six centimeters long;
• Long-leaved beech (Fagus longipetiolata Seemen). Another name is South Chinese. It is found in the south, east of China, in Vietnam. Twenty-five meters high. Dominates in subtropical forests;
• Beech shining (Fagus lucida). Distributed in the southern, eastern provinces of China. Can grow up to twenty-five meters. The fruits and leaves of this species are edible;
• Oriental beech (Fāgus orientalis). This beech is also called Caucasian. Its range stretched along the entire Black Sea coast. In the Caucasus, it grows in the mountains and in the lowlands, some specimens were found at an altitude of 2,300 meters. It makes up a quarter of all deciduous Caucasian forests. Quite often found in the Crimea. Trees have been found that are 500 years old. This species is the tallest among other beeches. Max Height fifty meters, the length of the leaves is twelve centimeters. If in summer the leaves are pale green, then in autumn they turn yellow-brown. Nuts are edible, but only every fourth year is fruitful;

• European beech (Fágus sylvática). Also known as the forest beech. It is found almost throughout Europe, England. The height is approximately thirty meters. Single-barreled, diameter reaches one hundred and fifty centimeters. Three-hundred-year-old trees reach a girth of three meters. There are several copies that are nine hundred years old. European beech can grow in the mountains in the form of a shrub. In autumn, the leaf has a brownish-yellow color. Young trees sometimes do not shed their leaves, and after drying, they remain on it all winter. Norway has the northernmost beech forest in the world. Nuts are edible.

Ecological significance

Very often, beech plantings serve as green hedges. The tree protects the soil from erosion and erosion, plays an important role in the cleanliness of air and water bodies, rivers. Reservoirs on which beech grows are practically not overgrown with silt. Used in landscape design.

Industrial use

Beech wood is used in the manufacture of many musical instruments. Parquet, plywood, butts for weapons, billiard cues, and measuring instruments are also made from beech.

Using steam-treated beech, they make bent furniture, rounded parts for furniture products. Beech wood is processed into paper.

Chips from beech wood are used in Germany in the production of beer, and in France - in the smoking of sausages. Alcohol, vinegar, tar are made from wood. And ash is added, producing high-quality green glass.

The nutritional value of beech

The young leaves of some beech species are used raw or processed for food. Coffee, butter, flour are prepared from nuts, they are used fried as a delicacy. There is a description of a recipe for Scottish salad, where beech buds are added as a condiment.

Boiled nuts are used as food for poultry, autumn leaves as feed for livestock.

Application in medicine

In folk medicine, beech tar is used to treat wounds, burns, and skin diseases. Ointments based on beech tar treat gout, rheumatism, and sciatica.

In traditional medicine, an extract from nuts is included in the composition of medicines used in the treatment of tuberculosis, bronchial diseases.

Beech extract is part of anti-aging products.

Beech is a mighty, straight-stemmed tree reaching a height of fifty meters, with a dense crown that almost does not let in the sun's rays, with a smooth light gray bark of the trunk. Three types of beech grow in Russia: large-leaved, forest and oriental. Beech is a long-lived tree, meeting in its thickets with a five-hundred-year-old specimen is a common thing. The operational and forestry value of this tree is enormous. Beech wood has a beautiful pattern, white with a yellowish-red tint, light, not much inferior in strength to oak.

When the trees stand alone, thanks to the widely spread branches and dense foliage, they form a sprawling dense tent, through which even the rays do not break through. southern sun. It lends itself well to shearing and shaping and can be used to create tall hedges, walls and curly shapes.

In its appearance and biological characteristics, it occupies the same place among deciduous species as spruce among conifers. In crown density and shade tolerance, it is not inferior to spruce and fir. The genus includes 9 species distributed in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere.

Photo: Gilles Douaire

The fruit of a beech tree is a trihedral shiny brown nut, slightly larger than a sunflower seed (a hundred beech nuts weigh no more than 20 grams). At favorable conditions growing from one hectare of a beech grove, you can get several million nuts containing a whole pantry nutrients- vitamins, carbohydrates, fats, tannins, organic acids. Beech nuts are not inferior in taste to pine nuts and are a real delicacy for wild animals and birds. People use beech nuts in pre-roasted form for food, because of the content of a potent substance in them - fagin, they are not recommended to be consumed fresh.

Of great value is beech oil, which is not inferior in quality to expensive almond and olive oil. Beech oil has a pleasant light yellow hue and is successfully used in the confectionery, canning industry, baking, medicine and perfumery, various branches of technology. Cakes are waste products of oil production, rich in protein, fed to farm animals and poultry.

beech leaves, contain a large number of tannins and vitamin K, they are successfully used by traditional medicine for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, to stop internal bleeding - in the form of decoctions and infusions.

The role of beech in the history and mythology of various ethnic groups is noteworthy. Many traditions consider it a symbol of ancient knowledge, majesty, prosperity, victory and stamina. He was told to the supreme gods - Perun, Zeus, Jupiter. Planted near the house in two, he will maintain an energy balance and good relations among the inhabitants. In a number of languages ​​of the Germanic group, the name of the tree coincides with the word book. Indeed, the ancient runes were written on wooden sticks made of beech, and our ancestors learned to read and write on similar waxed beech boards.

Properties of beech wood

Beech wood from mountainous areas is considered to be of higher quality. The density of beech wood is about 700kg/m3. The wood is quite hard and dense, but is prone to decay, so it is not recommended to use it outdoors. Sapwood and heartwood are almost indistinguishable in color. In the sun it darkens and acquires a reddish tint. The texture of wood is especially clearly visible in the radial and tangential sections. Beech materials come in various shades, from light to reddish-yellow. Beech wood lends itself well to processing, excellent sanding. A magnificent veneer is made from beech. But, since beech wood is quite hygroscopic, large fluctuations in humidity and temperature should not be allowed in the room where beech lumber is stored. Beech wood surpasses even oak wood in some parameters. After drying, beech becomes stronger than oak. Currently, beech is one of the most popular and sought-after lumber, which has exceptional beauty and strength.

The drying process is much faster, and the cracks are much smaller. After drying, most of the indicators improve, a dry beech board becomes stronger than oak in bending, surpasses it in rigidity and shear resistance by 20% and significantly in strength under impact loads. Beech board is an excellent material for interior finishing work. Usually a dry board is processed without complications, gives a smooth surface. Easily pricked, sawn and processed hand tool. Easily glued, bent, etched with dyes. It is used for the manufacture of musical instruments, plywood. Stairs and parquet are also made from beech boards. Beech gives excellent veneer.

The wood chemical industry uses beech wood to produce methyl alcohol, acetone, furfural - a substance that is a raw material for many medicines, xylitol - a substitute for sugar, tar and creosote - a disinfectant used in medicine and in construction to protect wood from decay. In pharmaceutical practice, creosote is used in the treatment of skin diseases, as a potent disinfectant, as well as against tapeworms, with putrefactive processes in the lungs and bronchi, with abnormal fermentation in the stomach and intestines - orally in the form of tablets, gelatin capsules and other medicinal products. forms that mask the unpleasant smell of creosote.

The main types of beech

European beech, or European beech. A large tree with a slender trunk and a powerful ovoid crown from 25 to 30 or 40 m high and up to 15 m wide. The branches of the forest beech are arched or arranged horizontally. The leaves of the forest beech are large, elliptical, slightly wavy along the edge, shiny, leathery, dark green in summer and very effectively colored in autumn - in yellow and copper tones. In nature, forest beech grows in Europe, including Russia, Western Ukraine and Belarus.

Beech oriental. Tree up to 40 (50) m tall with a wide rounded or ovoid crown. Beech oriental appearance close to the forest beech, but differs from it in a more rounded crown and larger, longer leaves. In nature, the oriental beech grows in the Caucasus, in the Crimea, in the north of Asia Minor.

Large-leaved beech. Tree up to 30-40 m tall with bluish-gray bark and pyramidal crown. The leaves of large-leaved beech are bright, bluish-green, oval or oblong, pointed. Plants are native to North America.

The fruits of the beech tree are sometimes called beech nuts or plane trees, but the beech does not belong to the walnut family, although its fruits are edible.

Beech fruits have three facets, and these fruits are a bit like acorns, so they are sometimes called acorns.

Judging by the picture, the fruit beech- this is a favorite nut since childhood, they were always called affectionately and loudly,

When fried, the skin becomes crispy and easily separated from the delicious core, which is attractive in taste, you can eat an unlimited amount.

Answer Nut-6 letters Chinarik.

a nut, a trihedral nut similar in taste to a pine nut, is eaten by both animals and humans (only fried, it cannot be eaten raw!), It is used in perfumery, medicine, and cooking.

The fruit of beech trees is called nut. The nut itself is triangular in shape, medium in size with a dense woody shell. You can eat either fried or boiled nuts, you can’t eat them raw, as they contain a substance that can cause poisoning. In addition, butter and flour are made from beech nuts, which are then used in the preparation of confectionery. In the Caucasus, these nuts are eaten like seeds)

Ah, those pesky beech nuts! There is a lot of garbage from them, they themselves, ripened, fall on their heads, fall on lawns, spoil the grass, sometimes squirrels throw off empty nuts.

Beech fruits are called walnut, they are in prickly boxes, which then open, and the nuts are strewn all around the tree.

Beech fruits are called beech nuts, they are small in size - about fifteen millimeters in length.

Beech nuts are used in the manufacture of tar.

Beech nuts are edible roasted and boiled and can be used to make a drink that is a bit like coffee.

Beech nuts are used to make flour and extract oil.

Forest beech (Fagussylvatica) is a deciduous tree with a light grayish bark that grows up to 50 m. The trunk of an adult tree resembles a cylinder and is 1.5 m in girth. The beech crown resembles an oval or cylinder and is located in the upper part of the trunk. Due to the dense leaf cover, the lower leaves gradually die off, forming a crown on bare branches.

The tree loves shade and loamy soils; grows in the forest or as single specimens.

The beech habitat covers individual countries of Northern, Central and Southern Europe, capturing part of Ukraine. In Belarus in wild nature does not occur.

Physical properties of beech

Beech is a hard and dense wood with a streaked texture that gradually changes color from yellowish to pink-brown when stored.

Beech is easy to process, easy to sand, prick and bend. Beech wood is suitable for making furniture, musical instruments, veneer, plywood. Beech is used to make parquet and molded lumber for construction. Beech processing waste is used for furnaces and fireplaces.

Beech is susceptible to destruction by fungi, mold and rot in conditions of high humidity and in contact with the ground, therefore, when building outdoors, it requires treatment with special protective compounds. Fallen beech trees are recommended to be processed immediately after harvesting.

To improve performance and color correction, beech wood is treated with special protective and tinting compounds.

Frequent defects of beech wood

false core

Beech is a non-nuclear deciduous tree, which is characterized by an abnormal darkening of the wood in the center of the trunk, resembling a real core in shape.

The emergence and development of a false core is associated with the infection of a tree with fungi through a damaged trunk and dead branches. Gradually, cells die inside the trunk, and a false nucleus is formed. Intensive growth of hyphae filaments leads to the destruction of cell walls and the development of rot.

With such an infection performance characteristics woods do not deteriorate, and the plant is considered a tree with a "healthy" false kernel, or a kernel without decay (slight differences are noticeable in longitudinal stretch, bending on impact and hardness of the butt).

If a false core appeared after infection with wood-destroying fungi, then over time the core of the trunk is affected by rot. Areas of wood with rot are identified by the presence of white efflorescence and black sinuous lines.

panting

On beech round lumber stored in summer, warm spring or autumn in high humidity conditions, a discoloration caused by infection with wood-destroying fungi is observed.

Breathing proceeds in two stages:

1. Homogeneous brown-red color (burrowing of wood);
2. Striping (gray-brown, purple-brown and dark stripes).

The next stage of structural changes in wood is considered a separate defect, which is called "marble".

Favorable conditions for the development of wood-destroying fungi:

• Temperature 15-25°C
• Humidity 30-60%

Types of breath:

• End breathing develops on the surface of the cut and gradually spreads along the assortment parallel to the direction of the fibers.
• Lateral panting develops on the outer surface of the assortment and gradually moves towards the center.

Due to breathing, the ability of wood to resist impact bending, as well as the ability to be impregnated with antiseptic protective agents, is reduced by 30%.

Marble rot ("marble")

This is the final stage of suffocation, which is distinguished as a separate wood defect. Marble is defined by faded spots and stripes on wood, limited by dark brown sinuous lines. The last stage of marble is the loosening and softening of woody tissues, accompanied by loss of mass and grinding into dust.

Marble rot is identified by large cracks in the saw cut and developed fruit bodies of fungi (the outer surfaces of the lumber do not change). To determine the volume and depth of the lesion, it is recommended to carry out a trial sawing or splitting of assortments.

Marble rot worsens the physical and mechanical properties of beech wood. When the first signs of marble appear, the strength of static bending is reduced by 30%, and the resistance to impact bending is reduced by 60%.

IN final stage development, wood loses its ability to resist mechanical stress and is only suitable for heating (taking into account the reduced heat output).

Grade of beech lumber in accordance with GOST

The grade of beech lumber is determined by the presence and degree of manifestation of the following defects and processing defects:

• Dimensional accuracy;
• Humidity;
• Rot;
• cracks;
• Knots;
• mold infestation;
• Breakouts, etc.

First grade (Grade A)

Does not allow:

• intergrown healthy knots with a diameter of more than 1 cm; knots on layers more than 10 cm wide; knots on the edges (more than 1/3 of the thickness for a single and paired knot), as well as more than 20 partially intergrown and ununited knots;
• falling out and rotten knots, cracks, porosity, mushroom spots and rot;
• sharp wane.

Allows:

• separate stripes and spots of mold and fungal stains of sapwood;
• blunt wane (up to 1/5 of the width of the lumber);
• longitudinal winging of the face and edge (up to 0.5% of the length);
• transverse wings (up to 1% of the width of the lumber).

Second grade (grade B)

Does not allow:

• intergrown healthy knots with a diameter of more than 2 cm; knots on layers with a width of more than 20 cm; knots on the edges (more than 1/2 of the thickness for a single and double knot), as well as more than 40 partially intergrown and ununited knots;
• falling out and rotten knots, cracks, porosity, mushroom spots and rot - more than 10 pieces;
• sharp wane more than ¼ of the width of the edge.

Allows:

• mold damage;
• wormholes (but not more than 3);
• mechanical damage and processing defects within 5 mm;
• saw cut slope within 5% of the thickness and width of lumber;
• blunt wane (up to 1/3 of the width of the lumber);
• longitudinal winging of the face and edge (up to 1% of the length);
• transverse wings (up to 2% of the width of the lumber).

Third grade (grade C)

Does not allow:

• intergrown healthy knots with a diameter of more than 5 cm; knots on layers with a width of more than 50 cm; partially intergrown and non-united knots more than 30 pieces;
• falling out and rotten knots, cracks, porosity, mushroom spots and rot - more than 25 pieces;
• sharp wane more than 1/2 of the width of the edge.

Allows:

• knots on the edges;
• mold damage;
• wormholes (no more than 5);
• mechanical damage, processing defects and minor deformations;
• saw cut slope within 5% of the thickness and width of lumber;
• blunt wane (up to 1/2 of the width of the lumber);
• longitudinal winging of the face and edge (up to 2% of the length);
• transverse wings (up to 3% of the width of the lumber).

Application of beech

In terms of operational and physical properties, beech wood at a lower price significantly exceeds birch or pine and is comparable to oak.

In construction, beech is limitedly used in the form of massive parts due to insufficient dimensional stability.

Due to its dense wood, beech is suitable for the manufacture of wooden stairs and floors in residential buildings.

In Minsk, you can buy inexpensive white, yellowish or pink beech lining, which is used for interior decoration of residential premises.

Before being used outdoors, lumber and beech products need additional treatment with protective compounds that prevent rotting, fungal and mold damage.

Unsorted beech is used as a thermal fuel for stoves, fireplaces and grills.

In the descriptions of interior doors and the types of trees from which they are made, the term "wood density" often slips. Descriptions are good, but they do not give such a clear understanding as numbers - what does " oak wood is slightly denser"? Values ​​in the form of numbers give an accurate picture, on the basis of which you yourself decide which wood is most suitable for the manufacture of interior doors.

What is wood density

Before moving on to numbers, let's define that is the density of wood and why you need to know.

The density of wood is the ratio of its mass to volume.

Simply put, the more a cubic meter of wood weighs, the denser it is. The density of wood, called simply the density of wood, depends on the humidity of the environment, so it is customary to operate with values ​​obtained at a humidity of 12%.
It should be noted that the density values ​​are approximate figures, because even one piece of wood in different places may have different densities.

With the first question sorted out, let's move on to the second. The density of wood directly affects two important properties - strength and hygroscopicity. Dense wood has a higher strength and in most cases hygroscopicity. The latter term means that high-density wood doors are more susceptible to moisture changes - everyone knows that wood tends to absorb moisture and expand. For this reason, aspen, linden or pine doors, which are at the very bottom of the table, are used in saunas and baths, where beech doors would simply stop closing.

Wood density indicators

Values ​​are given in grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm3) at 12% humidity. Please note that in some cases average values ​​are given.

The right column shows the values ​​of wood hardness according to the Brinell method, which generally confirm the dependence of wood hardness on its density.

Breed	Density	Hardness
High Density Rocks
Brazil nut	0.9	5.9
Ash	0.75	4.0
Canadian maple	0.71	4.7
Breeds of medium density
Oak	0.69	3.7
Beech	0.68	3.8
Teak	0.67	3.6
Larch	0.66	3.2
Elm	0.66	3.0
European maple	0.65	3.6
American black walnut European walnut	0.65	3.4
Birch	0.65	2.6
Low Density Rocks
Linden	0.53	1.5
Pine	0.52	1.6
Aspen	0.51	1.8
Alder	0.49	2.1
Spruce	0.45	1.6

Distinctive features of the beech plant, planting and care in the open field, breeding tips, possible diseases and pests, facts to note, types.

Beech (Fagus) belongs to the genus of tree-like plants belonging to the Beech family (Fagaceae). Basically, all representatives of this genus can grow in temperate climate European territories, as well as in Asia and the north of the American continent. These trees are the most common species in European forests, and in the mountains they can be found at an absolute height of 2300 meters.

family name	beech
Life cycle	perennial
Growth Features	Wood
reproduction	Seed and vegetative (cutting, rooting layering, grafting)
Landing period in open ground	Planted in March or mid-autumn
substrate	Any soil
illumination	Partial shade or bright light
Humidity indicators	Watering is needed in young age, drainage recommended
Special Requirements	unpretentious
plant height	20–30 m
Color of flowers	Green yellow
Type of flowers, inflorescences	Earrings, capitate
flowering time	April
Decorative time	spring-autumn
Place of application	As a tapeworm, group plantings, forming hedges
USDA zone	4, 5, 6

If we talk about the Russian name of the plant, then it goes to the Orthodox term "bukъ", which comes from the Proto-Germanic word "boka", which has a direct translation of "beech". Similar names are available in German, Dutch, Swedish, as well as Danish and Norwegian. But everywhere they lead to the word “book”, since the first discovered runes (symbols denoting the writing of the ancient Germans) were written on sticks made precisely from beech wood or on its bark.

Beech is broadleaf tree, which in height can reach 30 m, while the diameter of the trunk is often measured by two meters. The trunk is quite smooth to the touch, as it is covered with a thin layer of bark, a gray color scheme. Beech foliage falls with the advent of autumn. The leaf plate is simple, entire, or there are rare notches on the edge. The shape of the leaf is oval or oval-oblong. Its length is in the range of 5–15 cm, and the width can vary from 4 cm to 10 cm. The leaves grow alternately on the branches and are placed in two rows. FROM reverse side sometimes there is pubescence. Beech leaves are distinguished by a beautiful dark green color, which, with the advent of autumn, acquires a bronze or straw yellow tone.

Since the crown of a beech tree, consisting of entire foliage, is quite dense, the upper branches tend to greatly shade the lower ones over time. Those, in turn, not having enough light for photosynthesis, begin to die off and fly around to the ground. Therefore, a beech tree growing in a forest usually has no branches almost to the very top and, as it were, its crown rests only on a bare trunk. It is this feature that all varieties of representatives of this genus have, as well as other trees that grow in close proximity in the forest. The branches form a cylindrical crown with a rounded top.

The kidneys are formed in winter time, they are scaly, elongated, often not exceeding 2.5 cm. The flowering process occurs in the spring, and just at this time the leaves unfold. Beech flowers are unisexual, inflorescences are collected from them, with outlines resembling earrings. Pollination here is carried out by the wind (anemophilia). If the plant is located as a tapeworm, then the fruits will ripen in 60 years, in groups, fruiting will begin in about 20–40 years.

Beech fruits are nuts, which are somewhat similar to acorns, and they can be used for food. In addition to tannin, which has a bitter taste in fruits, there is a poisonous alkaloid fagin, which disappears during frying. The fruits are triangular, reaching 10–15 mm in length. Their shell is woody, with four cavities, from which beech fruitlets are collected in pairs or 4 pieces. Such a shell is called plush.

Usually, due to its size, this tree is preferable to grow as a tapeworm for landscaping, and with some effort, get a beech tree in a bonsai style home.

Growing beech outdoors

• Place to land should be bright and sunny, but partial shade will do. Since the plant is large, creating a dense shadow with a crown, it is better not to plant anything else nearby.
• Priming. Beech is a picky plant and can grow well in any soil, but an acidic and trampled substrate will not suit it. Land for planting is prepared in almost six months. The pit is dug in the fall and filled with water. Thoroughly mixed soil mixture should consist of garden soil, peat and mineral preparations (for example, Kemira-Plus).
• beech planting held in the spring before bud break or in October-early November. But in the latter case, shelter for the winter is required. A pit for a seedling breaks out with a size of 80x80 cm, as the roots will develop strongly. A drainage layer of broken brick or crushed stone is placed at the bottom. Then a little prepared soil mixture is poured on it and the plant is placed, gently straightening the roots. From above they are sprinkled with a prepared substrate and watered with warm water. The surface of the earth in the trunk circle is mulched with hay to preserve moisture.
• fertilizers beech is needed only while it is young. With the advent of spring, you can make a solution of mullein or manure, as well as mineral complexes and potash agents (for example, Kemira-Universal). In autumn, a simple digging of the soil is carried out in the trunk circle.
• Watering. Only adult plants do not need soil moisture, as they are able to provide moisture for themselves. When the seedlings are still young, it is recommended to water at least once every seven days. Also, plants will like spraying and “sprinkling”, as this will not only help wash off the dust from the deciduous mass, but also some pests. After watering or rains in the near-stem zone, the soil must be loosened so that air enters the root system. Then the trunk circle is covered with spruce branches or grass, you can sawdust so that moisture remains in the soil longer.
• Pruning. Since, as the beech grows, there is an abundant formation of branches and foliage, they will need to be pruned. But the growth rate of the plant is slow, which contributes to the creation of hedges from the crown and deciduous mass. With the advent of spring, sanitary shortening of the shoots is carried out. Remove all branches frozen after winter or those that began to give a lot of shade for the lower ones. It is also recommended to cut off such branches that have been infected with diseases or pests or have broken. When the beech grows, then pruning is not carried out.

Beech breeding methods

Reproduction is carried out using seeds, cuttings, grafting or rooting layering.

Usually the last three methods are quite complicated and do not guarantee the production of a seedling. But sowing seeds can give good results. The biggest problem in this process is the collection seed. The shape of the seeds is somewhat similar to a seed, and it is better to start collecting them from September to mid-autumn. If the beech fruits fell to the ground, it means that they are fully ripe and the seed germination will be higher. The color of ripened seeds should be brown, and they themselves are dry. In winter, the seeds must be kept cool, for example, the material is placed in a box and covered with gauze or a dry cloth. You can put a container with seeds on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, which will simulate natural conditions wintering.

Closer to spring (late February - early March), you need to remove the seeds, warm them up and carry out pre-sowing treatment. Before sowing the seeds in a container filled with a moistened peat-sand mixture, it is recommended to hold them for some time in a weak solution of potassium permanganate (it should be barely pink, otherwise the seeds will simply burn). To make germination faster, you can perform scarification - opening the seed shell. It can be carefully opened with a sharp knife or the seeds can be rubbed on sandpaper. It is important that the core is not damaged.

Seeds are planted one at a time from the container (peat cups), as at first the seedlings will begin active development. The seed is placed in the hole, covered with a substrate and watered abundantly with warm water. In order to keep the humidity constantly high, the pots need to be wrapped plastic bag. With such care, daily airing and periodic moistening of the soil are important, preventing both its waterlogging and drying. After about 14-20 days from the moment of planting, the seedlings will germinate. Young beeches will need a lot of good lighting, but with shading from direct sunlight, frequent moistening and high humidity in the room. Seedlings are recommended to be planted in a permanent place in open ground, only after 2-3 years.

Often, beech is propagated by means of green shoots. If there is a stump from an old felled tree, then young shoots quickly form around it. Such a shoot in the spring with a knife must be carefully cut off, while a small depression is made on the cut of the seedling - this place will become a source of growth for new root shoots. The shoot should immediately be placed in a container of water, which is changed periodically to prevent its stagnation, and the cut or roots of the seedling itself will need to be washed with water to remove the mucus accumulated in this place. After sufficiently strong roots appear on the seedling, it is possible to land on a permanent place of growth. It is important to remember that young beeches react very negatively to transplantation (the roots begin to weaken and growth slows down) and therefore the place must be selected carefully.

Possible diseases and pests when growing beech

Butterflies and silkworm caterpillars do more harm to the plant, as they prefer to feed on young beech leaves, after which the branches become very bare, the tree weakens and becomes susceptible to diseases. Since this pest has the same color as the dark green leaves, it is difficult to notice it. But if the shape of the leaf plate became irregular, the color changed to yellow and the foliage began to drop, then in all likelihood, harmful insects became the cause. In dry weather, spider mites and aphids also pose a danger to beech, as they settle on the plant in whole colonies. When identifying the above harmful insects, it is recommended to carry out regular spraying with insecticidal and acaricidal preparations, such as Fitoverm, Konfidor, Aktara or Aktellik. Full processing is possible while the tree is still young, since subsequently it will be possible to spray such a "giant" only partially.

Of the diseases, beech can be damaged by powdery mildew, which begins to cover the deciduous mass, like a whitish dense cobweb, causing it to drop from mid-summer. If mushroom caps appeared on the branches and trunk, then this indicates putrefactive processes in the bark, which will subsequently lead to the withering of the entire tree. The most effective means to combat these problems are various chemicals (for example, fungicides and Bordeaux liquid), but you can also use folk remedies, such as tincture on ash, grated laundry soap, as well as formulations based on dandelions, onion peels or garlic gruel.

Facts to note about beech

Oil is extracted from beech fruits, which is not inferior to Provence in its qualities, and nuts can be eaten, like pine nuts, since they contain a large amount of protein, starch, sugar and valuable acids. If a drink is prepared from roasted beech nuts, which is not only tasty, but also satisfying, somewhat reminiscent of cocoa. The cake remains from the nuts, which is used as protein feed, which is given to livestock. Since the shell of beech nuts is hard, it can be successfully used as a fuel.

Beech wood has long been famous for its qualities, as it is distinguished by its beauty and hardness. It is even trimmed with cabins and salons, cabins and compartments on ships, and is also used to decorate airplanes and trains. Wood is also a raw material for the production of tar and creosote, which is part of the therapeutic agents used for skin diseases.

A beech tree blooms and bears fruit when it reaches 45–50 years of age, since such a plant lives from 300 to 500 years. In parks and arboretums, forest beech varieties are mainly used, they can also form hedges.

Description of the types of beech wood

Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis). The area of ​​natural growth falls on the lands of the Crimea and the Caucasus, it is found on the territory of the Balkan Peninsula and in the northern regions of Asia Minor. The height of the tree can reach 50 m, but if the plant is in the mountains at an altitude of 2000, it takes the form of a large shrub. There is a grayish thin bark on the trunk, but the color of the wood is snow-white with light yellowish tones. Differs in resistance to putrefactive processes. The branches of the tree are very spreading, giving a lot of shade. Its crown, unlike the forest beech, is more rounded, the leaf plates are larger. The shape of the leaves is slightly elongated, the young foliage is painted in a light green color, but in autumn this color changes to yellowish-red. There is also a different perianth structure. It prefers moist soil, tolerates shade well, but is very thermophilic.

Forest beech (Fagus sylvatica) also found under the name European beech. This plant most often grows in the western regions of Ukraine, in Belarus and in forests. Western Europe. Forms pure beech forests on mountain slopes, at an altitude of 1500 meters above sea level. Can be found in broad-leaved and mixed forest areas. Shade-tolerant look. The trunk of the tree is slender, reaching a mark of 30 m, the branches form a powerful egg-shaped crown. The light gray bark covers the trunk, when the branches are still young, the bark on them is distinguished by a reddish-brown color. The shape of the leaves is elliptical, the surface is leathery, shiny, there is a slight waviness along the edge. In autumn, the dark green color scheme takes on bright hues from straw yellow to copper. On the reverse side there is a light fluff. The petiole is rather short. On the branches there is a separation of female and male flowers. The fruits look like nuts with three sides, they are surrounded by a cupule.

Large-leaved beech (Fagus grandifolia) grows in the eastern regions of the North American continent. Prefers mixed forests and tolerates shade and drought well. The tree reaches a height of 35–40 m. The straight trunk is covered with bark that is smooth to the touch and has a bluish-gray color. The shape of the leaf plate is oval with a pointed end, painted in green color. A transverse pattern of veins is visible on the surface.

Notched beech (Fagus crenata). Japan is considered homeland. It is a deciduous tree, reaching a height of 30 m. The trunk is very straight, it can reach 1.5 m in diameter, crowned with a rounded crown. Sheet plates they can be oval or diamond-shaped, their length is 7.5 cm. Their outlines are somewhat similar to laurel leaves. Until late autumn, the dark green shade of the leaves does not change.

Beech video:

Beech photos:

One of the most common in deciduous and mixed forests located in most of Europe is beech. The production process takes into account all the main, popular properties and characteristics of beech wood, which makes it possible to obtain high-quality products that are often used in various areas of life.

Beech, along with such a well-known tree as is classified by experts as the most valuable breeds wood. The tree is most often tall natural conditions reaches 40-50 meters, it can grow, as it is believed, up to 400-500 years. The wood has a special pattern with narrow, heart-shaped, shiny lines, which makes it possible to obtain a beautiful pattern on the manufactured product after polishing.

The tree retains its natural strength for a long time in a dry place, but quickly rots if the wood fibers are exposed to moisture for a long time. Due to this, beech products are most often intended only for use inside residential premises.

Beech is a durable and very strong tree, properly made products from it are able to withstand high mechanical loads, and steamed wood bends quite easily, and this helps to make furniture bent in design for home and office enterprises. The complexity of the beech processing process is not too high and costly, therefore, experts estimate the ease of working with this type of wood at four points on a five-point measurement scale.

Photo of a beech tree

Basic properties:

• Density. Beech as a tree belongs to species with an average density of wood, it is approximately 670 kgm3.
• The strength of wood on the compression ratio. Beech in compression along the fibers has a strength of 46 MPa, in bending 94. When stretched along the wood fibers, the strength of the wood of this tree reaches 129 MPa. It must be taken into account that this compression was determined at a wood moisture content not exceeding 15%.
• natural moisture. Freshly harvested beech wood typically has a moisture content of 80%. With increased water absorption, the moisture content of a tree can reach up to 120% under certain conditions.
• Specific and volumetric weight. Specific gravity for beech wood can in different conditions vary and depends directly on the percentage of humidity. At 12% of total humidity specific gravity in calculations it reaches 630-650 kg/m3.
• Chemical constituents. Beech wood, like most hardwoods of the most different trees, consists mainly of organic, natural substances. The wood itself is 42.6% cellulose, 24% lingin, 16.7% pentosans, 5.6% hexosans. After the combustion of wood, only its ash part remains, which is approximately 0.5% of the total mass of the burnt wood.
• Color. Beech is a non-core, that is, without a visible core, a tree species, therefore it is characterized by a color of wood fibers that is almost uniform in all internal parts. In the wood, broad rays are clearly visible in the form of light rays, diverging along the radii from the very middle and towards the outer bark. The color of the wood is slightly pink and reddish and may be yellowish. Old trees are especially valued by cabinet makers in the manufacture of furniture, as their wood has a pronounced and attractive brown-reddish color.
• GOST standards To assess the quality of the lumber used in the production of beech wood, GOST 2695-83 is applied, according to this standard, the dimensions of the raw material in length and width are taken into account. Importance It also has a type of wood, when it is determined by specialists, a variety of parameters are taken into account. This is the presence of knots, the slope of the fiber, wormholes, rot.
• combustion temperature. Beech wood produces excellent firewood as a fuel, the heat of combustion is 19.7 MJ / kg. When burning, a hot, constant flame is released. highest temperature combustion and the resulting attractive, fragrant smell allow beech firewood to be used as a grill.
• Thermal conductivity beech wood reaches 0.16 W / (m * K).
• Hygroscopicity This is the ability of wood to absorb the smallest drops and water vapor from the air. Beech wood quite actively absorbs water vapor, which increases the possibility of its decay. Due to this property, beech is not used for exterior decoration of houses. But at the same time, the use of paint coatings reduces the natural hygroscopicity of wood.

Where does the tree grow

Beech is a deciduous tree and it grows mainly in wild environment in Western and some part of the territory of Eastern Europe. The oriental beech is widely distributed in the Crimea and in the mountains of the Caucasus. European beech grows in our country in the Kaliningrad region.

Not only the wood of this tree is used, but also nuts, which are distinguished by their nutritional value and special taste. Five types of beech grows in Japan and China. The environmental friendliness of areas with beech forests is estimated at five points. Deciduous trees actively purify the air and increase the humidity of the area.

What can be a beech

The wood of this naturally occurring tree is widely and already sufficiently used in various enterprises engaged in the manufacture of furniture sets, building materials, kitchen utensils.

White

White beech is sometimes also called hornbeam. The wood of this tree is whitish-gray, strong and hard. In the raw state, the wood warps strongly, but after drying it does not change its shape at all. Due to its high hardness, white beech is used in modeling and carpentry. In the manufacture of furniture, the hornbeam is almost never used, as it does not have an attractive appearance.

Photo of white beech and parquet from it

Wood Parquet

Planed

Planed beech is one of the most widely and frequently used wood blanks in the industry. Use pre-treated beech for the manufacture of plywood of different thicknesses, chipboard. The furniture industry is still considered the main area of ​​​​use. In the manufacture of furniture, wood is used in its entirety, in the form of plywood or veneer.

It is customary to make furniture parts that are heavily used, i.e. seats for chairs or sofas and similar parts, from beech. Produced from beech large quantity wooden chairs. The high strength of this wood allows it to be widely used for the manufacture of stairs, parquet.

Items for everyday needs, kitchen cutting boards, combs, tool handles are also made from beech. Wooden toys are also made from wood, and they turn out to be smooth. Beech wood has been used since ancient times for the manufacture of tubs and barrels. The practicality of beech products, subject to the standards of its manufacture, can be rated at five points.

What does planed beech look like?

bleached

Bleached beech is obtained by staining. In order to achieve an even shade of wood, the workpiece is steamed for a certain time, then painted and dried. Bleached wood is used to make different furniture, parquet.

Not only in the manufacture of various and popular building materials and wooden furniture. Special processing of wood makes it possible to obtain from it raw materials for the manufacture of certain medicines, acetone, a sugar substitute - xylitol. If necessary, the beech can process it independently, without the use of special special devices.

Photo of bleached beech furniture