YELLOW BIRCH

YELLOW BIRCH

(Betula alleghaniensis)

Yellow birch is the largest of the native birches, growing to a diameter of 3 feet and a height of 70-85 feet. The spreading branches are somewhat pendulous, and form a broad, round-topped head in the open, but irregular in the woods. It grows well on cool, moist sites, and is frequently mixed with beech and sugar maple, or with hemlock.

The bark on the branches and on the stems of young trees is very shiny, silvery gray or yellowish brown in color, separating into loose, thin, often ribbonlike layers. On old trees, it is divided into large thin plates, not shiny, and gray or blackish. The young twigs are aromatic like the black birch but to a lesser degree. Both the buds and twigs have a pronounced wintergreen taste.

The leaves are ovate or nearly oblong, alternate, the edges doubly toothed, the upper side dull, dark green, hairy and 3 to 4 1/2 inches long.

The flowers are in catkins. In winter there are 3-4 preformed staminate catkins on the shoots, but not in clusters. They open in the early spring.

The twigs are yellowish to dark brown, with a wintergreen taste and are somewhat hairy.

The wood is hard, strong, heavy, and will take a good polish. It is close grained, of even texture. The heartwood, which makes up the bulk of the wood, has a very pleasing reddish color, Tt takes stains easily, makes excellent veneer wood, and flooring, woodenware, lumber for interior finish, plywood, railroad ties, pallets, pulp, gunstocks, and dowels. The yellow birch is one of our most valuable timber trees.