Beech cupules. The husk can have a variety of spine- to scale-like appendages, the character of which is, in addition to leaf shape, one of the primary ways beeches are differentiated. The nuts are edible, though bitter (though not nearly as bitter as acorns) with a high tannin content, and are called beechnuts or beechmast. The name of the tree (Latin "fagus", whence the species name; cognate with English "beech") is of Indo-European origin, and played an important role in early debates on the geographical origins of the Indo-European people. Greek φηγός is from the same root, but the word was
Weeping beech Weeping beech The weeping beech, "Fagus sylvatica" 'Pendula', is a cultivar of the deciduous European beech. The weeping beech is characterized by its shape with sweeping, pendulous branches. The trunk of the tree may not be visible from a distance due to the presence of the covering "weeping" branches. Branches may reach the ground and start new roots again. Smaller than the common beech, the tree can reach a height of up to and tends to be wider than high. Leaves of the weeping beech are broad, flat, simple and not lobed. They have smooth margins and alternate. They typically