Yellow Birch

Picture from: Yellow Birch, retrieved March 20, 2004 from

http://www.domtar.com/arbre/english/p_boulj.htm

 Family:  Betulaceae                                  

     Genus:  Betula

        Species:  alleghaniensis

Other names: swamp birch (1)

Geographic Distribution:  The native range of the yellow birch begins along the Northern Atlantic region of the United States and stretches into Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick.  It heads west around the Great Lakes into Iowa, Ohio, Illinois, and into its farthest western reach of Minnesota.  To the south it follows the Appalachian Mountain range into the states of Tennessee, Virginia, and as far south as Georgia. (1)

Native Habitat:  The yellow birch prefers areas with cool temperatures, receiving moderate to high levels of precipitation.  It grows best in well drained soils although it can be found growing in a number of different types including: shales, schists, granites, limestone, sandstone, and igneous and metamorphic rock. (1)

Identifying:  The yellow birch is a slow growing, but large tree.  At full maturity it may reach heights of 70 ft from it's single trunk base.  When open the crown is high and broad.  The foliage is a dark green in the spring turning to a brilliant yellow in the fall. The yellowish bark looks to be peeling in strips. (1)

Leaves: Ovate with and acute tip and rounded base (2)

Picture from: Yellow Birch, retrieved March 20, 2004 from

http://www.domtar.com/arbre/english/p_boulj.htm

Flowering period: April to May (2)

Fruit: Cone like, about an inch in length, with many hairy scales. (2)

Biogeographic Information:  Yellow birch are usually found as individuals or in small groups as part of a mixed hardwood forest.  However, there are large concentrations of yellow birch in Quebec, Ontario, Maine, Michigan, New York, and New Brunswick. Of these concentrations Quebec is the largest; 50 percent of the growing stock volume is found here.

Economic uses: Sap may be tapped for syrup, timber used for furniture, trim, and veneer. (1)

Geographic Distribution Map of Virginia

Map from: NRCS, retrieved March 20, 2004 from site

http://plants.usda.gov

References:   1) Erdmann, G. G.; Yellow Birch, retrieved March 20, 2004 from http://na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/silvics/manual/Volume_2/betula/alleghaniensis%20.htm 

2) Virginia Tech Forestry Department, Yellow Birch, retrieved March 20, 2004 from http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/syllabus/balleghaniesis.htm