Betula lenta (Black birch)

Betula lenta L.

Black birch, cherry birch, sweet birch, mahogany birch, spice 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	lenta	Strong, but flexible

About plant names...

Black birch is a North American native. Many of its common names, such as sweet birch and spice birch, derive from the oil of wintergreen released from its twigs. The tree was once used as a source of birch beer and oil of wintergreen.

Plants: A mid-sized deciduous tree up to 82' (25 m) high, with a trunk that can reach 24" (60 cm) around. Twigs release the scent of wintergreen (methyl salicylate) when scraped. Bark is reddish brown to black. Trees are quite often infected with nectria canker.

Leaves: Alternate, ovate, simple, 1¾-4" (5-10 cm) × 1-3" (3-8 cm), with finely serrated margins. The leaves contain many roughly parallel veins, emerging from the leaf spine and tilted forward about 45°.

Flowers: Male flowers are hanging catkins ¾-1" (1.9-2.5 cm) long. Female catkins are ½-¾" (1.3-1.9 cm), and erect, green tinged with red.

Fruits: In the fall, the catkins produce cone-like aggregates comprised of multiple tiny winged seeds. Typically trees do not produce seeds until they are at least 40 years old.

Online References:

Betula lenta at the Virginia Tech Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation

Betula lenta on

Betula lenta on Wikipedia

7/31/2016 · Skyline Drive, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

4/14/2010 · Mt. Lebanon St., Pepperell, Massachusetts

I rarely see this tree much bigger than 12 inches in diameter. This one is over three feet. · 3/6/2016 · Sheldrick Forest Preserve, Wilton, New Hampshire

8/27/2015 · Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hampshire
≈ 15 × 10" (37 × 25 cm)

9/24/2017 · Andres Institue of Art, Big Bear Mountain, Brookline, New Hampshire
≈ 4 × 7" (11 × 16 cm)

8/16/2012 · Mt. Tom State Reservation, Dynamite Trail, Holyoke, Massachusetts
≈ 9 × 14" (23 × 35 cm)

Betula lenta description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 16 Jul 2020.

7/15/2020 · Cathance River Nature Preserve Trails, Highland Green, Topsham, Maine
≈ 8 × 12" (20 × 31 cm)

A storm-damaged tree, showing the orange color of the inner bark. · 6/7/2015 · Oak Hill, Tophet Chasm Trail, Littleton, Massachusetts
≈ 8 × 5" (19 × 13 cm)

11/26/2011 · Nashua River Rail Trail, East Pepperell, Massachusetts
≈ 19 × 28" (47 × 70 cm)

5/21/2014 · Beaver Brook Assn Conservation Lands, Rte. 130, Hollis, New Hampshire
≈ 11 × 10" (28 × 25 cm)

8/9/2012 · Beaver Brook Assn Conservation Lands, Big Tree Trail, Hollis, New Hampshire

LAOWA Venus Lens Experiments · 2/18/2016 · Big Tree/Porcupine Trail, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hampshire

5/21/2014 · Beaver Brook Assn Conservation Lands, Rte. 130, Hollis, New Hampshire
≈ 11 × 8" (26 × 21 cm)

We think of trees as oxygen producers, but they also need some, which they absorb through these lenticels, horizontal pores that permit gas excahnge. · 6/18/2015 · Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hampshire
≈ 7 × 4½" (17 × 11 cm)

8/9/2012 · Beaver Brook Assn Conservation Lands, Big Tree Trail, Hollis, New Hampshire
≈ 16 × 24" (41 × 62 cm)

Range: Zones 3-8:

About this map...