Beech

It's the middle of winter and the snow is soft and deep. You feel a light breeze and hear a strange buzzing. There's a good chance that vibrating Beech leaves are the culprits.

Here's a glimpse at a few American Beech, Fagus grandiflora, leaves. You may notice a couple of buds--they're long, slender, and pointed. The bark is entirely smooth, even the trunk of a large trees, which makes this a desirable surface for a young man to carve his sweetheart's name upon.

Notice the pinnately-veined leaves, veins branching out straight, opposite, and parallel from the midrib, ending with a sharp tooth. The leaves themselves form in an alternate arrangement.