This series is ALL ABOUT THE TREES and creating the Beech Tree Family, their relatives and their neighbors, as I catch up with them. Hope you enjoy them too.
So come and meet the lasted edition to the Beech Family series. Today you get to meet Xavier Beech, a silver beech cousin of the Beech family. You can catch up with Xavier in a small roadside patch of trees along the Tunakino Valley Road.
This is a Park and grab. But be aware there is a sharp drop of not far back from Xavier.
There are 5 types of Beech Trees throughout our native forests spread from the sea to the mountains.
Red Beech (Tawhairanui) This, up to 30m tall tree, with dark rusty brown bark and buttressed base, with light green sharply toothed leaves 2-4 cm long, can be found in lowland forests .
Silver Beech (Tawai, Tawhai) This, up to 30m tall tree, with dark to black flaking bark and buttressed base, light green almost round leaves 8-12mm long, can be found in lowland to high altitude forests. The Silver beech is tolerant of heavy snowfalls, and often grows as a shrub in subalpine conditions.
Black Beech (Tawhairauriki) This, up to 25m tall tree with rough furrowed nearly black bark, small green slightly rolled 1 - 1.5cm long leaves, can be found in lowland to subalpine forests.
Mountain Beech (Tawhairauriki) This, up to 15m tall tree. with smooth dark gray to black bark, small green 1-1.5cm long leaves, can be found in sub alpine forests. The Mountain Beech is the hardiest of all native trees and grows where there are severe frosts and snow falls and intense rain fall but will often be a dwarf tree in these conditions.
Hard Beech (Tawhairaunui) This, up to 30m tall tree, with dark slate grey to black, fibrous, furrowed bark, and dull green 2.5 - 4cm rounded teeth edged leaves, can be found in lowland and subalpine areas
You are looking for a small container with no writing devices so please bring your own.
Please ensure you do not injure any native flora or fauna in your search
I support Geocaching for kids so bring some swaps.