Beech trees are pretty amazing. There are several species worldwide, but the European beech steals the spotlight in much of Europe. With its smooth grey bark, short trunk and sweeping branches, this tree is a standout in Belgium"s forests, as shown in today"s image. It grows in temperate regions and prefers well-drained, fertile soils, taking up to 30 years to mature. Not only do these 48-metres-tall trees dominate the landscape, but their wood is also used to make some of the sturdiest furniture, flooring and even kitchen tools.
European beech forest, Belgium
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
-
A magical resting place
-
Reflecting on Christmas
-
Edinburgh cityscape and St Marys Cathedral steeples
-
Macaroni penguins
-
Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
-
Endangered Species Day
-
Trooping the Colour
-
50 years of the Endangered Species Act
-
Hiding in the woods
-
Rufous hummingbird, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, California, United States
-
Medieval towers in Mestia, Upper Svaneti, Georgia
-
Small but mighty
-
Blackpool’s light fantastic
-
What are these colorful insects?
-
Madame Sherri Forest, New Hampshire, United States
-
A beach of many colours
-
Bohemian waxwings
-
Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada, USA
-
A chocolate lovers favourite fruit
-
Burrowing owl chicks
-
Kendwa village, Zanzibar, Tanzania
-
Bring the king cakes
-
Singing the blues
-
What are these unique creatures?
-
Christmas flowers
-
We’re all smiles for World Hippo Day
-
Svolvaer, Lofoten Islands, Norway
-
Pearl among the emeralds
-
Corn maze in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania
-
Today, a nation was born