There are many different trees that are grown in Irish forestry these days as part of planned overall forestry operations. One of the most dominant trees is the Sitka spruce. This is because the tree will grow absolutely anywhere. But to me, one of the most beautiful trees that grow on Irish soil is the Beech tree.

The Beech tree is more restricted geographically than either of the Oaks. This is though its total range is not very much less than that of the Cecil Oak. It requires considerable atmospheric moisture and therefore avoids all strongly continental climates with hot dry summers. It is absent from the Polish planes and poorly developed in the continental wedge of North Germany.

Like the two Oaks, the Beech tree is absent from the Mediterranean region. The exception to this is the mountains where the climate is cooler and moisture is greater. Northwards is well developed in southern Sweden but only gets into Norway, just. It is absent from most of the south-western France but reappears on the northern Spanish mountains.

On the continent generally, and especially towards the south, it is mainly a tree of the lower slopes of the mountains, sometimes mixed with the silver fir. It dominates the altitudes on above the Oaks and all the spruce forests. It is present in some abundance on the north west German planes.

The graceful habitat of the Beech is well known. The branches are markedly sympodial, and the contrast between the foliage shoots developed in shade, which often show very complete and beautiful leaf mosaics and the sun shoots with their obliquely ascending stems and smaller and thicker leaves is very striking. From a distance, Beachwood Canal was be recognised by these slender, switch like shoots rising above the massive canopy. If you’re looking for more information about the Beech or any other tree that grows on Irish soil then you should go to Google and type in the keyword “Forestry Ireland“.