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 but grows in USDA hardiness zones 4-7. It needs moisture and well drained soil and prefers sunny to semi-shaded zones. The tree does not tolerate industrial pollution or street salt. Young trees need to be staked to make them grow upward; growth tends to be slow. Weeping beeches may live for 150 to 200 years. Pest that can attack the tree includes aphids, borers (flat-headed apple tree borer, two-lined chestnut borer), certain caterpillars, and fungal disease. Weeping beech The weeping beech, "Fagus sylvatica" 'Pendula', is a cultivar of the deciduous European beech. The weeping beech is characterized by its shape