| Betula alleghaniensis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Yellow birch foliage | |
 | |
| Bark | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fagales |
| Family: | Betulaceae |
| Genus: | Betula |
| Subgenus: | Betulasubg. Betulenta |
| Species: | B. alleghaniensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Betula alleghaniensis | |
 | |
| Natural range ofBetula alleghaniensis | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Betula alleghaniensis, theyellow birch,[2]golden birch,[3] orswamp birch,[4] is a large tree and an important lumber species ofbirch native to northeasternNorth America. Itsvernacular names refer to the golden color of the tree's bark.[5] In the past its scientific name wasBetula lutea, the yellow birch.
Betula alleghaniensis is theprovincial tree ofQuebec, where it is commonly calledmerisier, a name which in France is used for thewild cherry.
Betula alleghaniensis is a medium-sized, typically single-stemmed,deciduoustree reaching 60–80 feet (18–24 m) tall (exceptionally to 100 ft (30 m))[2][7] with a trunk typically 2–3 ft (0.61–0.91 m) in diameter, making it the largest North American species of birch.[2][8] Yellow birch is long-lived, typically 150 years and some old growth forest specimens may last for 300 years.[9]
It mostly reproduces by seed. Mature trees typically start producing seeds at about 40 years but may start as young as 20.[9] The optimum age for seed production is about 70 years. Good seed crops are not produced every year, and tend to be produced in intervals of 1–4 years with the years between good years having little seed production. The seedsgerminate best on mossy logs, decaying wood or cracks in boulders since they cannot penetrate theleaf litter layer. This can lead to odd situations such as yellow birches with their roots growing around a tree stump, which when it eventually rots away leaves the birch standing atop stilt-like roots.[9] Yellow birch saplings will not establish in full shade (under a closed canopy) so they typically need disturbances in a forest in order to establish and grow. The tree is fairly deep-rooted and sends out several long lateral roots.
_(29719042493).jpg)
Both yellow birch andsweet birch (B. lenta) have nearly identical leaf shape and both give an odor of wintergreen when crushed. Seedlings of the two species can be very hard to tell apart. To differentiate the two, the range, buds, or bark must be examined. The ranges do overlap inAppalachia where they commonly grow together, but sweet birch does not grow west of Ohio or north into Canada whereas yellow birch does.[2] Sweet birch also has black non-peeling bark compared to the lighter, bronze colored, peeling bark of yellow birch. For young trees where bark has not yet developed, yellow birch can also be identified by its hairybuds and stems; sweet birch has hairless buds.[2]
The yellow birch was first described byFrançois André Michaux in 1812 asBetula lutea.[14] In 1904,Nathaniel Lord Britton described what he considered to be a new closely related species of birch asBetula alleghaniensis, differing fromB. lutea by its shorter fruiting scales and mostly cordate (vs. rarely cordate) leaf bases.[15] After comparing the descriptions and illustrations ofB. lutea andB. alleghaniensis,Merritt Fernald found the latter to be identical toB. lutea, but did confirm the existence of two varieties.[16] Later, the nameBetula lutea was determinedillegitimate as it was superfluous to the older name that Michaux had listed as a synonym,Betula excelsaAiton (1789).[15] Additionally, the type specimen ofBetula excelsa was found not to be a yellow birch, makingBetula alleghaniensis the oldest and correct replacement name for the illegitimateB. lutea.[15]
Thespecific epithetalleghaniensis means "of theAllegheny Mountains".[17] In addition to "yellow" or "golden" birch,B. alleghaniensis has also been calledgray birch,silver birch,tall birch, andswamp birch, though it shares several of these names with otherBetula species.[3][4][18]
Several varieties have been named,[19] but are not recognized as distinct by modern authors:[20][21][7]
Its native range extends fromNewfoundland toPrince Edward Island,Nova Scotia,New Brunswick, southernQuebec andOntario, and the southeast corner ofManitoba inCanada, west toMinnesota, and south in theAppalachian Mountains to northernGeorgia.[22] While its range extends as far south as Georgia, it is most abundant in the northern part of its range. In southern Pennsylvania, it is rare and generally only found along bodies of water in cool, mature woods, and it only occurs at high elevations from Maryland southward.[8][13] It grows inUSDA zones 3-7.[8]
B. alleghaniensis prefers to grow in cooler conditions and is often found on north facing slopes, swamps, stream banks, and rich woods.[7][23] It does not grow well in dry regions or regions with hot summers and will often last only 30–50 years in such conditions. It grows soilpH ranging from 4-8.[12]
The twigs are browsed on bywhitetail deer,moose andcottontails[23] Deer eat many saplings and may limit regeneration of the species if the deer population is too great.[9]Ruffed grouse and various songbirds feed on the seeds and buds.[3] Due to the thin bark of the treeyellow bellied sapsuckers feed on this tree by drilling holes in the tree and collecting the sap.[11]Broad-winged hawks show a preference for nesting in yellow birch in New York.[24]
Several species ofLepidoptera including the mourning cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) and dreamy duskywing (Erynnis icelus) feed onB. alleghaniensis ascaterpillars.[25]
Yellow birch is often associated witheastern hemlock throughout its range due to their similar preferences in habitat. It mostly grows from 0–500 m in elevation but may grow up to 1000 m.[9] It reaches its maximum importance in the transition zone between low elevation deciduous forests and high elevation spruce and fir forests. Due to the thin bark and lack of ability to resprout, it is easily killed by wildfire.[11]
Sugar maple (Acer saccharum) exertsallelopathic effects on seedlings of yellow birch and decreases their growth ability.[26][27][page needed] The inhibitory chemical is exuded from the roots of the sugar maple and has a very short soil half-life, it no longer has effects on birch after 5 days.[26]
It is listed as endangered inIllinois.[28] Globally, the species is considered to be of "least concern" by theInternational Union for Conservation of Nature.[1]
Yellow birch is considered the most important species of birch for lumber and is the most important hardwood lumber tree in eastern Canada; as such, the wood ofBetula alleghaniensis is extensively used for flooring, furniture, doors, veneer, cabinetry, gun stocks andtoothpicks. It was once popular for wagon wheels.[9][11][23] Most wood sold as birch in North America is from this tree. Its wood is relatively strong, close grained, and heavy. The wood varies in color from reddish brown to creamy white and accepts stain and can be worked to a high polish. Like most birches, yellow birch wood rots quickly due to its tendency to trap moisture. The cellulose from rotting birch logs was collected by Native Americans and used as a quick fire starter.[9]
In the past, yellow birch has been used for distillingwood alcohol,acetate of lime and for tar and oils.[23] Oil of wintergreen can be distilled from the bark.[8]
The papery, shredded bark, is very flammable due to its oil content and can be peeled off and used as a fire starter even in wet conditions.[23]
Yellow birch can be tapped for syrup similarly tosugar maple, and although the sap has less sugar content, it flows in greater quantity than sugar maple. When the sap is boiled down, the wintergreen evaporates and leaves a syrup not unlikemaple syrup. The sap can also be used as is inbirch syrup or may be flavored. Tea can also be made from the twigs and inner bark.[9]
Yellow birch has beenused medicinally by Native Americans as a blood purifier and for other uses.[7][3] TheOjibwe make a compounddecoction from the inner bark and take it as adiuretic.[29] They also make use of Betula alleghaniensis var. alleghaniensis, taking of the bark for internal blood diseases,[30] and mixing its sap and maple sap used for a pleasant beverage drink.[31] They use the bark of var. alleghaniensis to build dwellings, lodges, canoes, storage containers, sap dishes, rice baskets, buckets, trays and dishes and place on coffins when burying the dead.[32]
There are three official emblems in Quebec: the yellow birch, the snowy owl and the versicolor iris.
