The beech is one of the earlier species of trees to change color in this area. It is a large and common tree, one of the basic canopy trees of the deciduous forests of the northeastern United States. The leaves are elliptical, pointed and sharply toothed. The lateral veins tend to be straight. It looks somewhat like an elm leaf but is thinner and smoother. The fall color of this species is quite variable and ranges from greenish yellow to red-orange. The tree may retain many of its leaves into the winter and these will fade to a yellow tan color. The bark of this tree is a distinctive gray color. The fruit is a small triangular nut.