Betula L.

Birch

Birch comparisons

	Betula alleghaniensis	Betula lenta	Betula nigra
Common Name	yellow birch	black birch	river birch
Plant	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 appearence; the inner bark has a slight odor or wintergreen.	A mid-sized deciduous tree up to 82′ (25 m) high, with a trunk that can reach 2′ (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.	Trees are up to 82′ (25 m), rarely reaching 98′ (30 m). They often have multiple trunks. Trees tend to be pyramid-shaped when they are young, becoming more irregular as they age. Bark is highly variable. As with other birches, it peels away spontaneously ("exfoliates"), making the trunk look ragged. It may be dark gray-brown and scaly, pinkish-brown, or white and papery.
Leaves	Leaves are alternate and unlobed, 2–4½″ (6–12 cm) long and half as wide.	Alternate, ovate, simple, 1¾–4 ⨉ 1–3″ (5–10 ⨉ 3–8 cm), with finely serrated margins. The leaves contain many roughly parallel veins, emerging from the leaf spine and tilted forward about 45°.	Leaves are dark green, alternate, unlobed. They are roughly diamond-shaped, with the top half of the diamond more pointed and with doubly serrated edges, while the bottom half is flatter and with smooth edges. Leaves turn yellow in the fall.
Flowers	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.	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.	Male and female flowers appear on the same tree. Male catkins are up to 3″ (7.6 cm) long in April; female flowers are inconspicuous.
Fruit	Fruits resemble small cones, ¾–1¼″ (1.9–3.2 cm) × ¼–⅜″ (6.3–9.5 mm).	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.	Numerous tiny winged seeds packed between the catkin bracts.
Range/ Zones		USDA Zones: 3-8	USDA Zones: 4-9
Habitats		Moist, cool, forested slopes as well as rockier, more exposed areas.	Floodplains, swamp or river boundaries.

	Betula papyrifera	Betula papyrifera cv. ‘Renaissance Reflection’	Betula populifolia
Common Name	American white birch	paper birch	gray birch
Plant	The paper birch reaches about 60′ (18 m) in height, rarely up to twice that. The trunk (sometimes multiply stemmed) is typically bright white, up to 1′ (30 cm) in diameter, with a Trees tend to be pyramidal when young, becoming more irregular as they age. Peeling, papery bark. (Compare with gray birch, which rarely peels.) However, young trees consist of a reddish bronze bark that does not peel, and sometimes, especially in western trees, this bark remains thoughout the tree's life.	Up to 50′ (15 m) tall and 25′ (7.6 m) around. The habit is pyramidal. The trunk (sometimes multiply stemmed) is typically bright white, up to 1′ (30 cm) in diameter, with a peeling, papery bark.	Trees reach 33′ (10 m) in height, often with multiple trunks, and are pyramid-shaped in form. Bark is dark reddish brown when young, white as the tree ages. While white birch bark is a brighter color, and tends to peel easily, gray birch bark is tighter, less likely to peel; and darker, more often interrupted by black markings that are often chevron-shaped.
Leaves	Leaves are alternate, ovate, with pointed tips; dark green above, pale green below, yellow in the fall.	Alternate, ovate, toothed, with pointed tips; dark green above, pale green below, yellow in the fall.	Roughly triangular (ovate to deltate or rhombic). They have irregular and sometimes doubled serrations.
Flowers	Both male and female flowers occur on the same tree. Male flowers are catkins 2–4″ (5–10 cm) long. Female flowers are also catkins, 1–1½″ (2.5–3.8 cm) long.	Both male and female flowers occur on the same tree. Male flowers are catkins 2–4″ (5–10 cm) long. Female flowers are also catkins, 1–1½″ (2.5–3.8 cm) long. They appear from March to April.	Both male and female flowers are found on the same tree ("monoecious"). Male flowers are yellow-brown, 1–3″ (2.5–7.6 cm) long, less than ¼″ (6.3 mm) in diameter, usually drooping; female flowers are green, about 1″ (2.5 cm) long, ⅛″ (4.8 mm) in diameter.
Fruit	Female flowers are followed by drooping cone-like fruits containing numerous small winged seeds.	Female flowers are followed by drooping cone-like fruits containing numerous small winged seeds.	Multiple tiny winged seeds are squeezed between the female catkin bracts.
Range/ Zones	USDA Zones: 2-6	USDA Zones: 3b-7b	USDA Zones: 3-6
Habitats			Swamp and pond margins; open woods; dry sandy or poor quality soils

Betula description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.

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