Yellow Birch – Betula alleghaniensis

 

Nomenclature:

  • Betula alleghaniensis
  • Family: Betulaceae

 

Botany and Ecology:

  • Tree height: 60’- 80’
  • Tree diameter: 2’- 4’
  • Leaves are broad, flat, simple, not lobed, double teeth, long, oval, and narrows toward the tip
  • Fruit is cone or cone-like, longer than 1 inch, and has hairy scales with wings on both sides of the scales
  • Seeds also have wings
  • Bark on young trunks and limbs is silvery-yellow
  • Requires a cool moist habitat
  • Distribution:
    • United States: CT, GA, IA, IL, IN KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, VT, WI, WV
    • Canada: LB, MB, NB, NF, ON, PE, QC

 

Uses:

  • Edible:
    • Inner bark can be dried or cooked and turned into a powder used in making bread
    • Sap, raw or cooked, can be used as a sweetening agent
    • Twigs and leaves are used to make teas as they have a wintergreen flavor

 

Conservation:

 

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