River Birch (Betula nigra)
Birch Family (Betulaceae)
River birch is a single to more commonly multi-stemmed tree, reaching 70 ft tall with an irregular spreading crown. The main stems are usually slightly leaning and forked, and have scaly to peeling silver to gray to brown to rusty-colored to pinkish-white bark. The branches slightly weep. The ovate leaves are toothed. They turn yellow in the fall before they drop off. The small green and brown flowers are in catkins and appear in the early spring, with male and female flowers on different plants. The male catkins droop, while the female catkins are erect. The brown fruit is cone-like and matures in the late spring. Birds eat the seeds. Found in the eastern US, it occurs mostly on moist soils along stream banks, swamps, floodplains, ditches, and ravines. Can tolerate partial shade. Frequently used as an ornamental plant. Its boiled sap has been used as a sweetener. Sometimes called water birch.
Listed as threatened in New Hampshire.
Copyright Brett Miley
