Editing Beech (section)

=== North America ===
The American beech (''Fagus grandifolia'') occurs across much of the eastern United States and southeastern Canada, with a disjunct sister species in Mexico (''F. mexicana''). It is the only extant (surviving) ''Fagus'' species in the Western Hemisphere. Before the [[Pleistocene]] Ice Age, it is believed to have spanned the entire width of the continent from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific but now is confined to the east of the Great Plains. ''F. grandifolia'' tolerates hotter climates than European species but is not planted much as an ornamental due to slower growth and less resistance to urban pollution. It most commonly occurs as an overstory component in the northern part of its range with sugar maple, transitioning to other forest types further south such as beech-magnolia. American beech is rarely encountered in developed areas except as a remnant of a forest that was cut down for land development.

The dead brown leaves of the American beech remain on the branches until well into the following spring, when the new buds finally push them off.