Betula alleghaniensis Britton
Yellow birch
Kingdom Plantae Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom Tracheobionta Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division Magnoliophyta Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class Magnoliopsida Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass Rosidae Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more
Order Fagales Birch, she-oak, beech, walnut, bayberry, others
Family Betulaceae Birch family: birches, alders, hazels, hornbeams and hop-hornbeams
Genus Betula Birch
Species alleghaniensis
About plant names...
Yellow birch is a North American native.
Identification: Trees are 60-70′ (18-21 m) tall, rarely reaching
100′ (30 m). Tree shape is pyramidal in young trees, and usually uneven in mature trees.
The yellowish-bronze bark, easily peeled as with other birches, is unique in appearance; the inner
bark has a slight odor or wintergreen.
Leaves are alternate and unlobed, 2-4½″ (6-12 cm) long and half as wide. Yellow birches have both
male and female flowers on the same tree. Male flowers are catkins near twig ends, 1″ (2.5 cm) long and
reddish green. Female flowers point upright. They are ⅝″ (1.7 cm) long and reddish-green.
Fruits resemble small
cones, ¾-1¼″ (1.9-3.2 cm) × ¼-⅜″ (6.3-9.5 mm).
Edibility: The sap may be harvested and processed like that from sugar maples,
though the sugar content is much lower. The inner bark can be cooked or dried, then powdered and used as an
ingredient in making bread. Twigs and leaves can be used to produce a tea.
Online References:
Www.carolinanature.com
The University of Connecticut Plant Database
The USDA Forest Service's Silvics of North America site
Plants for a Future, a resource and information centre for edible and otherwise useful plants
The Virginia Tech Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation
References:
Eastman, John; illustrated by Hansen, Amelia, The Book of Forest and Thicket: Trees, Shrubs, and Wildflowers of Eastern North America , Stackpole Books, 1992 , p. 30
Sibley, David Allen, The Sibley Guide to Trees , Alfred A. Knopf, 2009 , p. 156
Little, Elbert L., National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees, Eastern Region , Alfred A. Knopf, 1980 , p. 180, 487, 617, 364
Dirr, Michael A., Dirr’s Hardy Trees and Shrubs , Timber Press, 1997 , p. 54
4/3/2010 · Birch Point Beach State Park, Owl’s Head, Maine ID is uncertain
6/18/2012 · Vaughn Woods, South Berwick, Maine · ≈ 1 × 2′ (41 × 62 cm)
4/24/2016 · Blue Trail, Willard Brook State Park, Ashby, New Hampshire
10/6/2011 · Pack Monadnock, 2200', Peterborough, New Hampshire · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 19 cm)
9/14/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Massachusetts · ≈ 11 × 7″ (27 × 18 cm)
10/2/2010 · Hackers Trail, Cliff Park, Delaware Water Gap National Recr, Pennsylvania · ≈ 9 × 6″ (22 × 14 cm) ID is uncertain
4/19/2013 · Squannacook River Wildlife Area, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 11″ (18 × 27 cm)
10/2/2010 · Hackers Trail, Cliff Park, Delaware Water Gap National Recr, Pennsylvania · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 13 cm) ID is uncertain
6/18/2012 · Vaughn Woods, South Berwick, Maine
Betula alleghaniensis description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 19 Aug 2023.
© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.
4/19/2013 · Squannacook River Wildlife Area, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 9 × 14″ (23 × 35 cm)
10/2/2010 · Hackers Trail, Cliff Park, Delaware Water Gap National Recr, Pennsylvania · ≈ 6 × 4″ (15 × 10 cm) ID is uncertain
9/14/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Massachusetts · ≈ 2 × 1′ (62 × 41 cm)
4/17/2013 · Leominster State Forest, Leominster, Massachusetts · ≈ 9 × 14″ (23 × 35 cm)
10/6/2011 · Pack Monadnock, 2200', Peterborough, New Hampshire · ≈ 9 × 14″ (23 × 35 cm)
11/5/2020 · Highland Green, Topsham, Maine
10/6/2011 · Pack Monadnock, 2200', Peterborough, New Hampshire · ≈ 8 × 12″ (20 × 31 cm)
4/17/2013 · Leominster State Forest, Leominster, Massachusetts · ≈ 10 × 15″ (26 × 39 cm)
9/14/2010 · Garden in the Woods, Framingham, Massachusetts
4/24/2016 · Blue Trail, Willard Brook State Park, Ashby, New Hampshire
Range:
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