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Fagus sylvatica L.

The height of this tree is of about 23 m and its circumference is of about 4.90 m. It hails from Central Europe, the beech tree belongs to the Fagaceae family. In Italy it is possible to find it in all the upland, the Etna’s one included, and it is frequently associated to conifers. Only in Sardinia it is not naturally present and it has been planted because of silvicultural reasons. It is a sciafila plant, which is able to adapt itself to every type soil and tolerates well snow charges on its foliage. In the Apennines it is possible to find it at an altitude of 1700 meters, sometimes in pure woods.

Beech tree wooden is good for furniture, games, pavement construction and for turning.
Its fruits, the so called “faggiole”, are eatable and they were pressed in order to get a liquid similar to olive oil or they were toasted to produce a substitute of coffee “Fago”, which was highly spread during II World War, since it made people of an exotic beverage.
Its phytosanitary conditions are scarse.

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