Beech trees reproduce themselves through their fruits, the beechnuts. They are slightly poisonous but can be eaten roasted. The harvest is not plentiful every year. What you should know about the fruit of the beech tree.
What is the fruit of the beech tree and what does it look like?
The fruit of the beech tree is the beechnut, a 2 cm long, brown capsule fruit with usually two triangular seeds. They are slightly poisonous but can be eaten roasted. Beech trees only bear fruit from the age of 40 to 80 and not every year.
This is what beechnuts look like
- Capsule fruit
- two, sometimes more, seeds (beechnuts)
- brown
- approx. 2 cm long
The fruit of the beechnut is a nut called a beechnut. They consist of a rough capsule made up of four lobes, in which usually two, occasionally more, seeds grow. The seeds are triangular and have a brown shell.
The capsule is initially open, but closes and hardens after fertilization. To harvest beechnuts, the capsule must be opened. When they fall, the fruit cups pop open on their own and release the seeds.
In the forest, propagation occurs via squirrels and birds, which carry the seeds to more distant places.
At what age do fruits ripen on beech trees?
Young beech trees do not bear fruit yet. A beech tree only blooms when it is around 20 years old. Fruits in which seeds ripen only develop between the ages of 40 and 80.
Not every year a beech tree bears beechnuts
A special feature of the beech tree is the fact that it does not produce a rich harvest every year. Usually every five to eight years, so many beechnuts grow on the tree that the ground is later completely covered. These years are called fattening years because in the past the pigs could actually be fattened with the beechnuts.
In the following years the harvest is significantly smaller. Sometimes no fruit grows on the tree at all.
The fruits of the beech tree are slightly poisonous
Beechnuts contain the active ingredient fagin, which causes nausea when consumed. Horses, dogs and cats are also not allowed to eat large amounts of beechnuts. Birds, forest animals and pigs, however, tolerate the fruits.
The toxin is neutralized by heating, primarily by roasting. The beechnuts can then be consumed safely.
Using beechnuts in the kitchen
Beechnuts have always enriched people's diets in times of need. The roasted seeds were ground into flour or used as a coffee substitute.
Roasted, the beechnuts go well with autumn salads or as a substitute for other nuts.
Propagate beeches by seeds
Beech trees are quite easy to propagate through seeds. Once you have collected beechnuts, place them in a water bath and discard any fruit that floats. The other fruits are capable of germinating.
Beechnuts need to be stratified. This means that the inhibition of germination by cold must be overcome. This happens either directly in the ground over winter or by storing the fruit in the refrigerator for several weeks.
Tip
Beechnuts contain a lot of oil. They used to be squeezed out and the resulting liquid used as lamp oil. In times of need, beech oil was also used for cooking.
