How to Identify Beech
The beech tree is widespread throughout much of the temperate zone. It can be found in many forests throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and northern Africa. The beech nut is easily recognizable, making the tree easy to identify. Because of the nut's nutritional value and the quality of the wood, the ability to positively identify beech is a useful wilderness survival skill. Read on to learn how to identify beech.
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Instructions
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Find a forest, especially one in a moist area.
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Look for a large tree with smooth, pale bark and dark green leaves.
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3
Find for small, burr-like pods that grow from stems alongside the leaves.
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Gather the pods and break them open. Inside the pod is a beech nut. Late in the season, the pods split open on their own and drop the nut.
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Gather the nuts from the beech tree and eat them raw. When young, they are sweet and white. They darken as they mature. The nuts can be stored and eaten later as a nutritious, calorie-rich snack.
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Roast the nuts and grind them into a powder. Boil the powder or steep it in water to make a drinkable coffee substitute.
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Use the wood of the beech tree to build a shelter or a fire. Smoking food over beech wood will give it a delicious flavor.
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Tips & Warnings
Beech nuts are an excellent food source for wilderness survival because they are highly nutritious. They are high in oil and protein, which are great sources of energy in the wild.
When eating any wild plant, positive identification is essential to prevent poisoning.
