Fagus sylvatica include flower buds. The leaves of beech are often not abscissed in the autumn and instead remain on the tree until the spring. This process is called marcescence. This particularly occurs when trees are saplings or when plants are clipped as a hedge (making beech hedges attractive screens, even in winter), but it also often continues to occur on the lower branches when the tree is mature. Small quantities of seeds may be produced around 10 years of age, but not a heavy crop until the tree is at least 30 years old. "F. sylvatica" male flowers are borne in
Luzula sylvatica grow on acidic soils in damp habitats. "L. sylvatica" can be found on stream banks and well-drained, open woodland, as well as in open ground and rock ledges and peaty heath moors. Despite its preference for acidic soils, it can tolerate most soil pH levels. The leaves of "Luzula sylvatica" are picked in winter by golden eagles to line their eyries. The flowers and seeds of "L. sylvatica" are also the sole food source for the larvae of the "Coleophora sylvaticella" moth. "Luzula sylvatica" is commonly used in horticulture — its thick, patch-forming habit (which allows the plant to act