American Beech

Fagus grandifolia

Strong

Native to Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

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Height: 60–80 feet
Spread: 40–80 feet
Light: Dappled sunlight, Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture: Usually moist

Space about 30 ft apart from its recorded spread. Enter your bed size for a count

Will it fit your yard?

Fagus grandifolia — foliage photograph — Bruce Marlin · CC BY-SA 2.5 · Original photograph

At a glance

Life cycle: Woody perennial
Leaves: Deciduous
Bloom: Mid spring
Fruiting season: Summer to fall

Recorded in 103 Virginia counties.

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 159 animals.

Cooper's Hawk
Accipiter cooperii
Birds. 18 shared habitats
Red-tailed Hawk
Buteo jamaicensis
Birds. 18 shared habitats
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Regulus calendula
Birds. 18 shared habitats
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Accipiter striatus
Birds. 18 shared habitats
Tufted Titmouse
Baeolophus bicolor
Birds. 18 shared habitats
Turkey Vulture
Cathartes aura
Birds. 18 shared habitats
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Dendroica coronata
Birds. 18 shared habitats
Belted Kingfisher
Megaceryle alcyon
Birds. 17 shared habitats
Blue Jay
Cyanocitta cristata
Birds. 17 shared habitats
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Polioptila caerulea
Birds. 17 shared habitats
European Starling
Sturnus vulgaris
Birds. 17 shared habitats
Mourning Dove
Zenaida macroura
Birds. 17 shared habitats
Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis
Birds. 17 shared habitats
Pine Siskin
Carduelis pinus
Birds. 17 shared habitats
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus varius
Birds. 17 shared habitats
Yellow-breasted Chat
Icteria virens
Birds. 17 shared habitats
American Goldfinch
Carduelis tristis
Birds. 16 shared habitats
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
Birds. 16 shared habitats
Black-and-White Warbler
Mniotilta varia
Birds. 16 shared habitats
Brown Creeper
Certhia americana
Birds. 16 shared habitats
Cedar Waxwing
Bombycilla cedrorum
Birds. 16 shared habitats
Common Nighthawk
Chordeiles minor
Birds. 16 shared habitats
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Regulus satrapa
Birds. 16 shared habitats
Gray Catbird
Dumetella carolinensis
Birds. 16 shared habitats

All wildlife of Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

137CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including VA

Genus host records with ranges including VA · Fagus

Acharia stimuleaSaddleback Caterpillar Moth
Acleris chalybeanaLesser Maple Leafroller Moth
Acronicta americanaAmerican Dagger
Acronicta impressaImpressive Dagger, Printed Dagger
Acronicta incretaSouthern Oak Dagger, Eclipsed Oak Dagger, Small Oak Dagger
Acronicta ovataOvate Dagger, Epauleted Oak Dagger
Acronicta tristisSad Dagger
Actias lunaLuna Moth
Adoneta spinuloidesPurple-Crested Slug
Agnorisma badinodisPale-Banded Dart

Show all 137

Alsophila pometariaFall Cankerworm Moth
Amorpha juglandisWalnut Sphinx
Amphipyra pyramidoidesMiranda Underwing, Copper Underwing, Copper Amphipyra
Anisota senatoriaOrange-Tipped Oakworm Moth, Orangestriped Oakworm
Anisota virginiensisPink-striped Oakworm Moth
Antaeotricha leucillanaWell-Marked Leaf Tier, Pale Gray Bird-Dropping Moth
Antheraea polyphemusPolyphemus Moth
Apoda biguttataShagreened Slug Moth
Apoda y-inversumYellow-Collared Slug Moth
Automeris ioIo Moth
Baileya dormitansSleeping Baileya
Baileya ophthalmicaEyed Baileya
Besma endropiariaStraw Besma
Besma quercivorariaOak Besma
Callosamia prometheaPromethea Silkmoth, Promethea Moth
Catastega aceriellaMaple Trumpet Skeletonizer
Cecrita biundataWavy-Lined Heterocampa
Cecrita guttivittaMaple Prominent, Saddled Prominent
Cenopis diluticostanaSpring Dead-Leaf Roller Moth, Oak Cenopis
Cenopis pettitanaMaple-Basswood Leafroller Moth
Cenopis reticulatanaReticulated Fruitworm Moth
Ceratomia amyntorElm Sphinx
Charadra deridensThe Laugher
Chionodes fuscomaculellaWhite-Spotted Chionodes
Choristoneura conflictanaLarge Aspen Tortrix
Choristoneura fractivittanaBroken-Banded Leafroller, Lined Corn-Borer Moth
Choristoneura fumiferanaSpruce Budworm Moth
Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
Clepsis persicanaWhite Triangle Tortrix
Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
Colocasia flavicornisYellowhorn, Saddled Yellowhorn
Colocasia propinquilineaClosebanded Yellowhorn
Crocigrapha normaniNorman's Quaker
Cydia latiferreanaFilbertworm
Dasychira dorsipennataSharp-Lined Tussock Moth
Dasychira obliquataStreaked Tussock Moth
Dasychira vagansVariable Tussock Moth
Dasylophia thyatiroidesGray-Patched Prominent
Datana ministraYellow-Necked Caterpillar Moth
Dryocampa rubicundaRosy Maple Moth, Green-Striped Mapleworm, Rosy Dryocampa
Eacles imperialisImperial Moth, Imperial Spiny Caterpillar
Ennomos magnariaMaple Spanworm Moth, Notchwing Geometer
Ennomos subsignariaElm Spanworm Moth
Erannis tiliariaLinden Looper Moth, Western Winter Moth, Lime Looper
Erora laetaEarly Hairstreak
Estigmene acreaSalt Marsh Moth, Acrea Moth
Euclea delphiniiSpiny Oak-Slug Moth
Eulia ministranaFerruginous Eulia
Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
Halysidota tessellarisBanded Tussock Moth, Pale Tiger Moth
Heterogenea shurtleffiRed-Eyed Button Slug
Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
Hypagyrtis piniataPine Measuringworm Moth, Pine Variant
Hypagyrtis unipunctataOne-Spotted Variant
Hyperstrotia pervertensDotted Graylet
Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
Ianassa lignicolorWhite-Streaked Prominent
Isa textulaCrowned Slug
Isochaetes beutenmuelleriSpun Glass Slug
Lambdina fervidariaCurve-Lined Looper Moth
Lambdina fiscellariaHemlock Looper, Western Oak Looper
Limenitis arthemisBanded Purple, Red-Spotted Admiral
Lithacodes fasciolaYellow-Shouldered Slug
Lithophane bethuneiBethune's Pinion
Lochmaeus bilineataDouble-Lined Prominent
Lochmaeus manteoVariable Oakleaf Caterpillar Moth
Lophocampa caryaeHickory Tussock Moth, Hickory Tiger Moth
Lophocampa maculataSpotted Tussock Moth, Yellow-Spotted Tiger Moth
Machimia tentoriferellaGold-Striped Leaftier Moth
Macrurocampa marthesiaMottled Prominent
Malacosoma americanaEastern Tent Caterpillar
Malacosoma disstriaForest Tent Caterpillar
Megalopyge crispataBlack-Waved Flannel Moth, Crinkled Flannel Moth
Meganola phyllaTwo-Spotted Oak Punkie, Coastal Plain Meganola
Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
Morrisonia latexFluid Arches, Fluid Mamestra
Nadata gibbosaWhite-Dotted Prominent
Natada nasoniNason's Slug Moth
Nemoria mimosariaWhite-Fringed Emerald
Neurobathra strigifinitellaFinite-Channeled Leafminer
Oedemasia leptinoidesBlack-Blotched Schizura
Oedemasia semirufescensRed-Washed Prominent
Olethreutes appendiceumServiceberry Leafroller
Oneida lunulalisOrange-Tufted Oneida
Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
Orthosia revictaSubdued Quaker
Orthosia rubescensRuby Quaker
Packardia elegansElegant Tailed Slug
Packardia geminataJeweled Tail Slug Moth
Paleacrita vernataSpring Cankerworm Moth
Pandemis lamprosanaWoodgrain Leafroller
Panopoda rufimargoRed-Lined Panopoda
Paonias excaecataBlinded Sphinx, Blind Eyed Sphinx
Paraclemensia acerifoliellaMaple Leafcutter, Maple Case-Bearer
Parasa chlorisSmaller Parasa, Green Slug Moth
Peridea angulosaAngulose Prominent
Phigalia titeaThe Half-Wing Geometer, Spiney Looper, Eastern Oak Looper
Phobetron pitheciumHag Moth, Monkey Slug
Phyllodesma americanaLappet Moth, American Lappet Moth, Southern Lappet Moth
Plagodis alcoolariaHollow-Spotted Plagodis
Plagodis fervidariaFervid Plagodis
Plagodis pulverariaAmerican Barred Umber, Barred Umber
Plagodis serinariaLemon Plagodis
Pococera asperatellaMaple Webworm
Probole alienariaDogwood Probole, Alien Probole
Probole amicariaFriendly Probole
Prolimacodes badiaSkiff Moth, Skiff Caterpillar
Psilocorsis cryptolechiellaBlack-Fringed Leaftier
Psilocorsis quercicellaOak Leaftier
Psilocorsis reflexellaDotted Leaftier Moth
Schizura ipomaeaeMorning-Glory Prominent, Checkered-Fringe Prominent
Selenia kentariaKent's Geometer
Sparganothis unifascianaOne-Lined Sparganothis
Symmerista albifronsWhite-Headed Prominent
Symmerista canicostaRed-Humped Oakworm
Symmerista leucitysOrange-Humped Mapleworm
Synanthedon scitulaDogwood Borer, Pecan Borer
Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
Tolype velledaLarge Tolype, Large Lappet Moth, Vellada Lappet Moth
Tortricidia pallidaRed-Cross Button Slug
Tortricidia testaceaEarly Button Slug
Venusia comptariaBrown-Shaded Carpet
Zale minereaColorful Zale
Zanclognatha cruralisEarly Zanclognatha, Early Fan-Foot
Bucculatrix packardella
Trypanisma prudens

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

1BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Fagus

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0

0Specialist beesPollen specialists

3BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Fagus

Bonasa umbellusRuffed Grouse
Meleagris gallopavoWild Turkey
Pheucticus ludovicianusRose-breasted Grosbeak

Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Fagaceae
Hardiness: Zones 3a–9b
Soil pH: Acidic to alkaline
Flower color: Green or white
Growth rate: Slow
Growth habit: Single stem
Foliage color: Green
Fruit begins: Summer
Fruit ends: Fall

What its natural habitat tells you

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “Mid spring” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Flower color · “Green or white” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs)
Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit begins · “Summer” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit ends · “Fall” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth habit · “Single stem” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth rate · “Slow” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Hardiness · “Zones 3a–9b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “60–80 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs)
Leaves · “Deciduous” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “Dappled sunlight (shade through upper canopy all day); Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Tennessee Smart Yards, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia DCR Piedmont, Virginia DCR Coastal Plain differ)
Soil · “Moist” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia DCR Piedmont, Virginia DCR Coastal Plain differ)
Soil pH · “Acidic to alkaline” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Spread · “40–80 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Conservation status

Virginia rank	S5
Global rank	G5
VA status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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How to check your spot

American Beech

At a glance

Also found with this plant

Who uses this plant?

Plant details

Conservation status

Will it fit your yard?

Sources

More Fagus