Taiwan Beech

Scientific name: Fagus hayatae

Overview

Taiwan Beech is a deciduous beech associated with the cool mountain forests of northern Taiwan. Kew currently treats Fagus hayatae as native to northern Taiwan, while older flora accounts used a broader concept that also included mainland Chinese populations. This distinction matters when cataloging specimens. The species has substantial botanical and conservation value, and its Vulnerable status makes careful provenance especially important.

Quick Facts

  • Common Name: Taiwan Beech
  • Scientific Name: Fagus hayatae
  • Family: Fagaceae
  • Region: Asian Woods
  • Other Names: Taiwan Shui Qing Gang; Taiwan Shan Mao Ju
  • Native Range: Northern Taiwan under Kew’s current treatment
  • Tree Size: Up to about 20 m (66 ft) in the broader Flora of China account
  • Average Dried Weight: A reliable species-specific value was not verified
  • Janka Hardness: A reliable species-specific value was not verified
  • Color: A reliable species-specific timber color description was not verified
  • Grain: A reliable species-specific timber grain description was not verified
  • Texture: A reliable species-specific timber texture description was not verified
  • Conservation Status: Vulnerable in the IUCN assessment cited by Kew

Identification Characteristics

Regional botanical descriptions identify Taiwan Beech through its deciduous habit, toothed leaves, vein pattern, and fruits. Leaf hairiness changes with age, so young and mature leaves should be compared carefully. The species occurs in a restricted mountain setting; an undocumented beech wood sample should not be assigned this name merely because it resembles another Fagus specimen.

Key identification traits include:

  • Deciduous leaves with toothed margins
  • Ovate or rhomboid-ovate leaf shape
  • Several pairs of lateral veins running toward the leaf margin
  • Young leaves bearing silky hairs, with fewer hairs at maturity
  • Documented Taiwanese locality and botanical identification

Working Properties

Species-specific machining, drying, bonding, and bending data were not verified. European Beech specifications should not be substituted for this Taiwanese species. An existing, documented historical or institutional wood specimen should be evaluated individually while preserving its research value. The following steps concern specimen preparation.

  • Condition: Inspect for decay, checks, and previous treatments
  • Preparation: Make only the cuts needed to expose diagnostic surfaces
  • Moisture: Record the condition before comparing weight or dimensions
  • Finishing: Preserve an unfinished area for later examination
  • Documentation: Keep acquisition and provenance records with the specimen

Safety Note

Use extraction and appropriate eye and respiratory protection when preparing a wood specimen. Avoid breathing sanding dust and keep the work area clean. Document unknown preservatives or previous treatments before further preparation.

Common Uses

A dependable commercial woodworking-use profile for the narrowly defined Taiwanese species was not verified. Its documented roles are chiefly botanical, educational, and conservation-related.

  • Botanical research and living collections
  • Forest conservation and regeneration studies
  • Educational interpretation
  • Documented institutional reference specimens

Sustainability & Notes

Kew cites Taiwan Beech as Vulnerable. Taiwanese forestry authorities document restricted populations and studies of natural regeneration, seedling establishment, and restoration. Preserve the distinction between Taiwan’s populations and mainland material assigned this name in older references. Documented research and existing collections can support the archive without new collection from wild populations.

Comparative Notes & Related Species

Related Guides

Compare Wood Properties

See how this species ranks in density and hardness using our Wood Density & Janka Hardness Chart. You can also explore Hardest Woods, Softest Woods, and Most Dense Woods for quick comparisons.

Collector Notes

Prioritize provenance over appearance. Record the exact locality, acquisition date, original scientific name, and historical taxonomic treatment. Retain acquisition documentation and associated leaf or fruit records where possible. Photographs and institutionally documented specimens are useful ways to represent the species in a reference collection.

Share Your Photos of This Species

Do you have lumber, wood samples, tree photographs, woodworking projects, furniture, carvings, turnings, musical instruments, or other items made from this species?

Exotic Woods of the World welcomes photographs from woodworkers, collectors, sawyers, researchers, and wood enthusiasts around the world. Selected submissions may be featured on this page and throughout our website to help document and showcase real-world examples of this species.

When submitting photos, please include the common name, scientific name (if known), a brief description, and any information you would like us to share with the image.

Share Your Photos Page

Wood Sample Collection

This species is part of an ongoing effort to document and preserve wood samples from around the world.

Learn more about contributing to the collection:

Donate Wood Samples

Resources

Authoritative botanical and forestry references used in compiling information about this species include:

• USDA Forest Service – Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material
https://www.fpl.fs.usda.gov/products/publications/

• The Wood Database – Global reference for wood identification, physical properties, and woodworking characteristics
https://www.wood-database.com/

• Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew – Plants of the World Online – Botanical taxonomy and species distribution database
https://powo.science.kew.org/

• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN Red List) – Global conservation status assessments
https://www.iucnredlist.org/

• Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) – International trade regulations for protected plant species
https://cites.org/

Additional forestry publications, academic research papers, and regional timber studies may also be referenced where available.

Love This Species?

Enjoy learning about this wood species?

Help support the continued growth of Exotic Woods of the World by participating in our Adopt a Species program. Your support helps fund species research, educational content, photography, videos, and future conservation awareness initiatives.

Adopt This Species

Support Forest Conservation

This species is part of the growing Exotic Woods of the World reference archive, dedicated to documenting and preserving knowledge of the world’s wood species.

Through the Adopt a Species program, visitors can help support ongoing species research, educational content, photography, video production, and future conservation awareness initiatives.

Contributions help fund the continued expansion of this archive while promoting sustainable forestry education and the long-term appreciation of the world’s forests.

Interested in supporting this species? Visit our Adopt a Species and Conservation Partners pages to learn more.

Availability & Where to Buy

Exotic hardwood availability can vary significantly depending on region, sustainability regulations, and supplier inventory.

As this archive grows, recommended suppliers and specialty wood retailers will be listed here to help woodworkers locate responsibly sourced material.

Lumber Suppliers:

Availability varies — see the Where to Buy Exotic Woods page for current sources.

Related Tools & Products:

Availability varies — see the Where to Buy Exotic Woods page for current sources.

Stay Connected

Follow the latest species additions, educational resources, videos, conservation initiatives, and major project milestones through our Site Updates archive.

The Site Updates archive provides a permanent record of new content, library growth, and future developments across Exotic Woods of the World.

View Site Updates