Forests of the American beech once covered a large part of Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Kentucky. It is a large and imposing tree at maturity with low, wide-spreading branches. Its fruit, a beechnut, is edible in fall. Autumn brings golden-brown leaf color; winter exposes the handsome thin gray bark, which is a key identifying feature. There is no lovelier sight than the American beech, with its commanding presence and stature inspiring reverence and respect. The monarch of American trees.

The genus Fagus includes 10-13 species of the beech tree, which are native to temperate regions of Asia, Europe and North America. Only Fagus grandifolia, the American beech, is native to the U.S. and Illinois. A single species, Fagus sylvatica or the European beech, accounts for the vast majority of cultivars used in landscaping. The Chicago Botanic Garden's collections contain three species but more than two dozen varieties among its more than 100 beech trees.

Like their cousins the oaks, beech trees are long-lived and slow growing hardwood trees. The fruit produced annually is commonly called a beech nut and is beloved by wildlife. Beech trees are majestic shade trees at maturity. While tolerant of a wide range of soils, the genus prefers consistent and moderate moisture.