This individual is small compared to its fully-matured counterparts but is a tree of significance being that it’s in the middle of the city. It’s smooth, grayish bark is an excellent identifying feature and is probably the species that is most often used as a canvas for carving names into. Intolerant of soil compaction, a large mulch ring has been placed under the drip line to keep equipment off and return nutrients back to its soil. Head down to the Missouri Bootheel or southern Illinois to see some impressively large American beech.