Fagus grandifolia
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID64403be704308428258632 |
| Scientific name | Fagus grandifolia |
| Authority | Ehrh. |
| First published in | Beitr. Naturk. 1: 22 (1787) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
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Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
Among Algonquin, Iroquois, and Wabanaki-speaking peoples of the northeastern woodlands, Fagus grandifolia was employed mainly as an external medicine. Fresh or lightly crushed bark, sometimes with a thin layer of inner bark, was applied to fresh cuts, abrasions, and sores as a poultice or direct compress; the same bark decoction was used as a wash to dress and cleanse wounds (Moerman, 1998). The Jesuits recorded that the Canadian Huron boiled the twigs of American beech for fevers and bathed patients with the decoction (Rousseau, 1945), and the Cherokee reportedly used a bark infusion or decoction for “bad blood,” a broad local term for systemic or blood-related illness (Merrill, 1928). Historically, foresters in New England, Vermont, and Ontario prepared bark decoctions for fevers and wound care and sometimes rubbed bruised leaves over insect bites, though leaf use is comparatively lesser known (Peattie, 1948; Odel, 1908).
A simple, practical preparation is a bark decoction used as an external wash: finely chop or bruise 1 to 2 tablespoons of fresh inner bark and outer bark, cover with 1 cup of water, bring to a boil, then simmer 10 to 15 minutes; cool to lukewarm and rinse the affected area 2–3 times daily. For a compress, soak a clean cloth in the cooled decoction and apply for 15–20 minutes. Do not drink this preparation; for external use only. Avoid applying to deep or contaminated wounds without medical supervision, and discontinue if irritation develops. Pregnant or breastfeeding individuals should avoid using any Fagus preparation unless advised by a qualified practitioner.
The bark and leaves of American beech contain abundant tannins, notably gallotannins, which are astringent and protein‑precipitating; these constituents plausibly explain the traditional styptic and wound‑dressing actions (Oates, 1986). Small phenolic acids and triterpenoids have also been identified in beech bark and leaves (Jones and Dickson, 1976), but the astringent tannin fraction is the most biochemically consistent with topical hemostasis and mucosal tightening in wound care.
Today, American beech remains mostly a timber and ornamental tree, with interest in its dark brown bark and persistence in the forest understory. Decoctions for external use persist locally, and minor research continues on beech leaf and bark phenolics for astringency and antioxidant properties (Schulz and Hamar, 1988), though commercial therapeutic products are uncommon in herbal trade.
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
American beech (Fagus grandifolia) yields utility-grade lumber and dimension stock. Small, clean pieces are converted into wood flour for fillers and abrasives. Lath and turnery blanks are produced for handles, dowels, and turnery.
Industrial and craft applications:
Dimension lumber and sawn products are used for flooring, interior trim, furniture parts, kitchenware, butcher blocks, and turnery (e.g., spools, brush backs, tool handles). Beech steam-bends well and takes fasteners and screws, which supports architectural moldings and chair components. Cross-sections are used as disk blanks. Wood flour (often from offcuts) serves as a filler in phenolic and other adhesive systems.
Food and beverages (non-medicinal):
The seed (beechnut) is edible and can be processed for oil; culinary references describe roasting or cooking to reduce tannins and using the meal to fortify flour blends. No health claims or traditional-remedy uses are included.
Wood and fiber:
The species produces hardwood logs with a typical specific gravity of about 0.65–0.70 and high shrinkage from green to oven-dry (radial ~4.5%; tangential ~8–10%; volumetric ~13–14%; T/R ratio ~2.2). The Janka hardness is about 1,300 lbf, and air-dry density roughly 700–720 kg/m³. These properties underpin flooring performance and the selection of steam-bending and high-strength turnery applications. Lumber is graded and traded under standards such as NHLA rules and applicable ASTM/EN hardwood specifications.
Properties relevant to use:
American beech is dense, close-grained, and light-colored; it sands and machines well and takes a clear finish. Dimensional stability and bending strength are adequate for flooring and furniture parts; the species steam-bends effectively.
Sustainability and sourcing:
Trees often occur in mature hardwood forests; adoption of sustainable forestry practices and chain-of-custody certification (e.g., FSC) reduces impacts on mixed northern-hardwood ecosystems. Sawn-lumber yields vary due to rot and insect damage, making grading efficiency variable.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Fagus grandifolia f. mollis | Fernald & Rehder | Rhodora 9: 114 1907 |
| Fagus sylvatica var. atropunicea | Marshall | Arbust. Amer. : 46 (1785) |
| Fagus sylvatica var. americana | Pers. | Syn. Pl. 2: 571. 1807 |
| Fagus atropunicea | (Marshall) Sudw. | Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 20(2): 43. 1893 [15 Feb 1893] |
| Fagus grandifolia subsp. heterophylla | Camp | Unknown |
| Fagus latifolia | L'Hér. ex Steud. | Nomencl. Bot. , ed. 2, 1: 624 (1840) |
| Fagus purpurea | Desf. | Tabl. École Bot. : 214 (1804) |
| Fagus ferruginea | Aiton | Hort. Kew. [W. Aiton] 3: 362. 1789 |
| Fagus grandifolia var. typica | Rehder | Mitt. Deutsch. Dendrol. Ges. 16: 70 (1907) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | american beech |
| Spanish | fagus sylvatica var. atropunicea |
| Spanish | fagus sylvatica var. americana |
| Spanish | fagus purpurea |
| Spanish | fagus atropunicea |
| Spanish | fagus latifolia |
| Spanish | haya americana |
| Arabic | زان أمريكي |
| Bulgarian | едролистен бук |
| Czech | buk velkolistý |
| Danish | amerikansk bøg |
| German | fagus ferruginea |
| German | amerikanische buche |
| German | mexikanische buche |
| Esperanto | grandfolia fago |
| Persian | راش آمریکایی |
| Finnish | amerikanpyökki |
| French | hêtre à grandes feuilles |
| French | hêtre américain |
| French | hetre d'amerique |
| French | hêtre d'amérique |
| French | hêtre rouge |
| Hebrew | אשור אמריקאי |
| Upper Sorbian | ameriski buk |
| Hungarian | amerikai bükk |
| Japanese | アメリカブナ |
| Cornish | fow amerika gledh |
| Lithuanian | amerikinis bukas |
| Latvian | amerikas dižskābardis |
| Norwegian Bokmål | amerikabøk |
| Polish | buk amerykański |
| Polish | buk wielkolistny |
| Russian | Бук крупнолистный |
| Slovenian | ameriška bukev |
| Turkish | amerika kayını |
| Ukrainian | Бук великолистковий |
| Ukrainian | Бук американський |
| Ukrainian | Американський бук |
| Chinese | 北美山毛櫸 |
| Chinese | 美国水青冈 |
| Chinese | 紫叶水青冈 |
| Chinese | 紫叶欧洲水青冈 |
| Chinese | 北美水青冈 |
Subspecies (abbr. subsp./ssp.) Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Fagus grandifolia subsp. grandifolia | Unknown | |
| Fagus grandifolia subsp. mexicana | (Martinez) A.E.Murray | Kalmia 13: 6 (1983):. |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!
No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
-
Northern America click to expand
-
Eastern Canada
- New Brunswick
- Nova Scotia
- Ontario
- Prince Edward Island
- Québec
-
Mexico
- Mexico Central
- Mexico Gulf
- Mexico Northeast
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North-central U.S.A.
- Illinois
- Missouri
- Oklahoma
- Wisconsin
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Northeastern U.S.A.
- Connecticut
- Indiana
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- West Virginia
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South-central U.S.A.
- Texas
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Southeastern U.S.A.
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Delaware
- District Of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Mississippi
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Virginia
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Eastern Canada
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000966434 |
| UNII | TVM295J64J |
| Florida Plant Atlas | 982 |
| Flora of Alabama | 2147 |
| Cornell Woody Plants | 93 |
| Canadensys | 5957 |
| USDA Plants | FAGR |
| UConn | 175 |
| Tropicos | 13100023 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:295597-1 |
| The Plant List | kew-83824 |
| Missouri Botanical Garden | 280709 |
| PFAF | Fagus grandifolia |
| Open Tree Of Life | 422459 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 60423 |
| Nature Serve | 2.140235 |
| IUCN Red List | 62004694 |
| IPNI | 295597-1 |
| iNaturalist | 49202 |
| GBIF | 2882274 |
| Freebase | /m/02h6vp |
| WisFlora | 3616 |
| FEIS | plants/tree/faggra |
| EPPO | FAUGR |
| EOL | 1143553 |
| Elurikkus | 4734 |
| USDA GRIN | 100831 |
| Wikipedia | Fagus_grandifolia |
| CMAUP | NPO9017 |
| PaleoBotany | 100617 |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
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Phytochemical Profile Top
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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives / Gallic acid and derivatives | |||||
| Syringic Acid | 10742 | Click to see | 198.17 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Benzenoids / Phenols / Methoxyphenols | |||||
| (Z)-Sinapyl alcohol | 10130521 | Click to see | 210.23 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)81239-X |
| 4-Hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamylic alcohol | 1549094 | Click to see | 180.20 | unknown |
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)83580-3 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)81239-X |
| 4-Hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxy-cinnamyl alcohol | 439703 | Click to see COC1=CC(=CC(=C1O)OC)C=CCO | 210.23 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)81239-X |
| Coniferyl Alcohol | 1549095 | Click to see | 180.20 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)81239-X |
| Phenol, 4-(3-hydroxy-1-propenyl)-2-methoxy- | 9983 | Click to see | 180.20 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)81239-X |
| Sinapyl alcohol | 5280507 | Click to see COC1=CC(=CC(=C1O)OC)C=CCO | 210.23 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-9422(00)81239-X |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Fatty Acyls / Fatty acyl glycosides / Fatty acyl glycosides of mono- and disaccharides | |||||
| (2Z)-3-(4-Hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)prop-2-en-1-yl beta-D-glucopyranoside | 14330981 | Click to see | 342.34 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(88)80107-9 |
| 2-[3-(4-Hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)prop-2-enoxy]-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxane-3,4,5-triol | 85313722 | Click to see | 342.34 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(88)80107-9 |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / O-glycosyl compounds | |||||
| Sucrose | 5988 | Click to see | 342.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organic oxygen compounds / Organooxygen compounds / Carbohydrates and carbohydrate conjugates / Glycosyl compounds / Phenolic glycosides | |||||
| (2R,3S,4S,5R,6S)-2-(hydroxymethyl)-6-[4-[(Z)-3-hydroxyprop-1-enyl]-2,6-dimethoxyphenoxy]oxane-3,4,5-triol | 9799599 | Click to see COC1=CC(=CC(=C1OC2C(C(C(C(O2)CO)O)O)O)OC)C=CCO | 372.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(88)80107-9 |
| (Z)-Coniferin | 91895380 | Click to see COC1=C(C=CC(=C1)C=CCO)OC2C(C(C(C(O2)CO)O)O)O | 342.34 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(88)80107-9 |
| 2-(Hydroxymethyl)-6-[4-(3-hydroxyprop-1-enyl)-2-methoxyphenoxy]oxane-3,4,5-triol | 3496897 | Click to see | 342.34 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(88)80107-9 |
| 2-(Hydroxymethyl)-6-[4-(3-hydroxyprop-1-enyl)-2,6-dimethoxyphenoxy]oxane-3,4,5-triol | 323959 | Click to see | 372.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9422(88)80107-9 |
| Di-O-Methylcrenatin | 10736338 | Click to see | 346.33 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Isotachioside | 15098566 | Click to see COC1=C(C=CC(=C1)O)OC2C(C(C(C(O2)CO)O)O)O | 302.28 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Multifidol glucoside | 14412552 | Click to see | 372.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Coumarins and derivatives | |||||
| Urolithin C | 60198001 | Click to see | 244.20 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Biflavonoids and polyflavonoids | |||||
| (2R,3S,4R)-2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-6-[(2R,3S,4R)-2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3,7-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydro-2H-chromen-4-yl]-3,4-dihydro-2H-chromene-3,4,7-triol | 102115501 | Click to see | 562.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (2R,3S,4R)-2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-6-[(2R,3S,4S)-2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3,7-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydro-2H-chromen-4-yl]-3,4-dihydro-2H-chromene-3,4,7-triol | 101297694 | Click to see | 562.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (2R,3S,4S)-2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-6-[(2R,3S,4S)-2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3,7-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydro-2H-chromen-4-yl]-3,4-dihydro-2H-chromene-3,4,7-triol | 102115500 | Click to see | 562.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (2R,3S)-2-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-8-[(2R,3S,4R)-3,7-dihydroxy-2-(3,4,5-trihydroxyphenyl)-3,4-dihydro-2H-chromen-4-yl]-3,4-dihydro-2H-chromene-3,5,7-triol | 102400061 | Click to see C1C(C(OC2=C1C(=CC(=C2C3C(C(OC4=C3C=CC(=C4)O)C5=CC(=C(C(=C5)O)O)O)O)O)O)C6=CC(=C(C=C6)O)O)O | 578.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (2R,3S)-8-[(2R,3S,4R)-3,7-dihydroxy-2-(3,4,5-trihydroxyphenyl)-3,4-dihydro-2H-chromen-4-yl]-2-(3,4,5-trihydroxyphenyl)-3,4-dihydro-2H-chromene-3,5,7-triol | 102400062 | Click to see C1C(C(OC2=C1C(=CC(=C2C3C(C(OC4=C3C=CC(=C4)O)C5=CC(=C(C(=C5)O)O)O)O)O)O)C6=CC(=C(C(=C6)O)O)O)O | 594.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Epirobinetinidol-(4beta,8)-catechin | 51042196 | Click to see | 578.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Fisetinidol-(4A8)-catechin | 14332862 | Click to see | 562.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Fisetinidol-(4alpha,6)-gallocatechin | 51041987 | Click to see | 578.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Fisetinidol-(4alpha,8)-catechin | 11731408 | Click to see C1C(C(OC2=C1C(=CC(=C2C3C(C(OC4=C3C=CC(=C4)O)C5=CC(=C(C=C5)O)O)O)O)O)C6=CC(=C(C=C6)O)O)O | 562.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Robinetinidol-(4alpha->8)-catechin-(6->4alpha)-robinetinidol | 442689 | Click to see | 866.80 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Robinetinidol-(4alpha,8)-catechin | 70697937 | Click to see C1C(C(OC2=C1C(=CC(=C2C3C(C(OC4=C3C=CC(=C4)O)C5=CC(=C(C(=C5)O)O)O)O)O)O)C6=CC(=C(C=C6)O)O)O | 578.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Robinetinidol-(4alpha,8)-gallocatechin | 70697956 | Click to see | 594.50 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavans / Catechins | |||||
| Catechin | 9064 | Click to see | 290.27 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Epicatechin | 72276 | Click to see | 290.27 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavans / Catechins / Epigallocatechins | |||||
| Gallocatechin | 65084 | Click to see | 306.27 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavans / Flavan-3-ols | |||||
| 5-[(2R,3R)-3,7-dihydroxy-3,4-dihydro-2H-chromen-2-yl]benzene-1,2,3-triol | 101846310 | Click to see | 290.27 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Robinetinidol | 12314983 | Click to see C1C(C(OC2=C1C=CC(=C2)O)C3=CC(=C(C(=C3)O)O)O)O | 290.27 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavans / Flavanones | |||||
| Butin | 92775 | Click to see C1C(OC2=C(C1=O)C=CC(=C2)O)C3=CC(=C(C=C3)O)O | 272.25 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavans / Flavanones / Flavanonols | |||||
| Garbanzol | 442410 | Click to see C1=CC(=CC=C1C2C(C(=O)C3=C(O2)C=C(C=C3)O)O)O | 272.25 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Taxifolin | 439533 | Click to see C1=CC(=C(C=C1C2C(C(=O)C3=C(C=C(C=C3O2)O)O)O)O)O | 304.25 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavans / Leucoanthocyanidins | |||||
| ent-Epifisetinidol-4beta-ol | 44257142 | Click to see | 290.27 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Fisetinidol-4alpha-ol | 164762 | Click to see C1=CC(=C(C=C1C2C(C(C3=C(O2)C=C(C=C3)O)O)O)O)O | 290.27 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavones / Flavonols | |||||
| Fisetin | 5281614 | Click to see | 286.24 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Robinetin | 5281692 | Click to see | 302.23 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid O-glycosides | |||||
| 4'-O-methylrobinetinidol 3'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside | 51041986 | Click to see COC1=C(C=C(C=C1OC2C(C(C(C(O2)CO)O)O)O)C3C(CC4=C(O3)C=C(C=C4)O)O)O | 466.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / O-methylated flavonoids / 3-O-methylated flavonoids | |||||
| Fisetin 3-methyl ether | 9839293 | Click to see | 300.26 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / O-methylated flavonoids / 7-O-methylated flavonoids | |||||
| Fisetin tetramethyl ether | 631171 | Click to see COC1=CC2=C(C=C1)C(=O)C(=C(O2)C3=CC(=C(C=C3)OC)OC)OC | 342.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Tannins | |||||
| 1,6-bis-O-galloyl-beta-D-glucose | 440221 | Click to see | 484.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |