If oak can be called the king of the forest, then the copper beech, with its combination of stately form, height and beautiful coloring, is certainly the queen.
Fagus sylvatica, the European beech, is native to Northern Europe and develops into a large, massive tree with a broad crown. European colonists brought the copper beech tree to America in the mid-1700s and it has been a popular ornamental shade tree since that time. Old-growth common beeches can provide a remarkable amount of shade. It has a typical lifespan of 150 to 200 years, though sometimes up to 300 years.
The Bay View Historical Society drew attention to and dedicated this copper beech as Wisconsin's largest in 2005. The society was established in 1979 to preserve the character and heritage of the neighborhood of Bay View in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Unlike most deciduous plants the copper beech tree does not drop their leaves by abscission before winter and instead remain on the tree until the spring. The European Beech starts to flower when it is between 30–80 years old. The flowers are small catkins which appear shortly after the leaves in spring. The seeds, called beechnuts, are small triangular-shape nuts maturing in the autumn. The nuts are an important food for birds, rodents and in the past also humans. Slightly toxic to humans if eaten in large quantities due to the tannins they contain.
To find the cache container you must first read the sign and then enter the given numbers into the following formula:
N42 59.XY8
W087 52.Z20
X = First digit of the height of the tree
Y = Add first 2 digits of the posted spread of the tree
Z – Add up the numbers of the trunk's circumference
Container has been changed to a NANO. Please use stealth when seeking the cache and PLEASE rehide so it remains hidden from muggles!
Permission has been granted by Brian Russart, of the Milwaukee County Parks, Permit # 95