Beech trees are among the trees that can get quite old, even if they are not nearly as persistent as oaks, for example. When cared for in the garden, however, the trees usually do not reach such an old age. Older specimens can also be found in old parks or dense beech forests.
On average, beeches live to be 150 years old
How old do beeches get?
A beech tree can live up to 320 years. The average age of beech trees is 150 years because most trees are cut beforehand to use the wood.
How can the age of beeches be determined?
The age of a beech tree is determined based on two dates, namely the trunk circumference and the location. In the case of very old beeches, there is a third point, namely the historical tradition.
- trunk circumference
- location
- historical tradition
The trunk circumference is measured at a height of about one meter and recorded in centimetres. A beech with a trunk circumference of 100 centimeters is estimated to be around 55 years old. At 150 centimetres, the beech is around 80 years old.
If you want to calculate the age of a beech yourself, measure the circumference of the trunk and multiply it by 0.6. You can get an even more accurate result if you measure the circumference of the trunk twice, at a height of 1 meter and 1.50 meters. The mean value is formed from both measurements.
The oldest beeches in Germany
One of the probably oldest and largest beeches in Germany is the Bavaria beech near Pondorf. Their age is estimated at 200 to 320 years. The giant beech near Oberbach, also in Bavaria, is about the same age. In Baden-Württemberg, the double beech tree, which is estimated to be between 200 and 320 years old, is in the town of Utzenfeld.
Most of the old beeches, which are also called strong beeches because of their trunk size, are in Baden-Württemberg, followed by Bavaria. In the northern regions of Germany, beech trees usually do not grow as old because of the unfavorable climate and the often sandy soil.
tips
The importance of the beech in Germany is also shown by the fact that many places have been named after the tree. There are around 1,500 villages whose names go back to the word beech.