American Beech - Exceptional Trees on Waymarking.com

The storyboard at the tree reads: "This stately Beech is one of the largest and oldest trees in the State of Missouri. A registered "champion" tree, it is approximately 200 years old. Quite possibly it was alive at the time of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.

The American Beech (Fagus grandifolia) is the only native North American species of beech. A slow growing hardwood, beeches may live 300-400 years and attain heights of 70-120 feet. Beech trees are typically found in the hardwood forests of eastern United States.

Cape Girardeau is located at the edge of the beech tree's growth range, where the beech-maple forests of Illinois-Indiana give way to the oak-hickory forests of Missouri."

According to the Missouri Champion Tree list this tree is 100 feet tall, 103 feet spread, 16 feet circumference.

Tree is found in a private park, owned by Southeast Missouri State University, but it is open to the public. It is near the riverfront at the end of Morgan Oak Street.

Genus/Species: Fagus grandifolia Height: 100 Girth: 16 Method of obtaining height: Reliable source Method of obtaining girth: Reliable source Location type: Park Age: 200 Historical significance: "It's the initial tree" "When young seminarians came here, they had to climb up the tree and put their initials in it." Website reference: [Web Link] Parking coordinates: N 37° 17.845 W 089° 31.189 Walk time: 1 Planter: Not listed Photograpy coordinates: Not Listed

Visit Instructions:
A closeup picture of your GPS receiver in your hand, with the tree in the background, is required. If the tree is on private property, this closeup photograph with the tree in the background may be taken from the nearest public vantage point without actually going to the tree.
The required photograph does not need to show the entire tree, but the individual tree must be recognizable.

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Date Logged Log User Rating   06/16/2016 Mesozoic visited it 09/29/2011 iconions visited it

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