Fagus sylvatica the oriental beech ("Fagus orientalis"), which replaces it further east. In the Balkans, it shows some hybridisation with oriental beech; these hybrid trees are named "Fagus" × "taurica". In the southern part of its range around the Mediterranean, it grows only in mountain forests, at altitude. Although often regarded as native in southern England, recent evidence suggests that "F. sylvatica" did not arrive in England until about 4000 BC, or 2,000 years "after" the English Channel formed after the ice ages; it could have been an early introduction by Stone age humans, who used the nuts for food. The beech
Fagus sylvatica depends on the location: in forest areas, "F. sylvatica" grows to over , with branches being high up on the trunk. In open locations, it will become much shorter (typically ) and more massive. The leaves are alternate, simple, and entire or with a slightly crenate margin, 5–10 cm long and 3–7 cm broad, with 6–7 veins on each side of the leaf (7–10 veins in "Fagus orientalis"). When crenate, there is one point at each vein tip, never any points between the veins. The buds are long and slender, long and thick, but thicker (to ) where the buds