Betula alleghaniensis L.


Compiled by Jessica Tanner


Jgtanner@mindspring.com


Common Name for Betula alleghaniensis-

Yellow Birch

Varieties of Betula alleghaniensis-

alleghaniensis and macrolepis

For more information, please refer to the United States Department of Agriculture's Integrated Taxonomic Information System web page.



A special thank you to the University of Georgia Herbarium for this photo of Betula alleghaniensis.

Identification This material comes fromLittle, 1980 written by Elbert L. Little, former chief dendrologist of the U.S. Forest Service.

"Large, aromatic tree with broad, rounded crown of drooping branches and slight odor of wintergreen in crushed twigs and foliage.
Height: 70-100' (21-30m).
Diameter: 21/2' (0.8m).
Leaves: 3-5" (7.5-13cm) long, 11/2-2" (4-5cm) wide. Elliptical, short-pointed or rounded at base; sharply and doubly saw-toothed; mostly with 9-11 veins on each side; hairy when young. Dark dull green above, light yellow-green beneath; turning bright yellow in autumn.
Bark: shiny yellowish or slivery-gray; separating into papery curly strips; becoming reddish-brown and fissured into scaly plates.
Twigs: greenish-brown, slender, hairy.
Flowers: tiny; in early spring. Male yellowish, with 2 stamens, many in long drooping catkins near tip of twigs. Female greenish, in short upright catkins back of tip of same twig.
Cones: 3/4-11/4" (2-3cm) long; oblong; hairy; brownish; upright; nearly stalkless; with many hairy scales and 2-winged nutlets; maturing in autumn.
Habitat: Cool moist uplands including mountain ravines; with hardwoods and conifers.
Range: Extreme SE. Manitoba east to S. Newfoundland, south to extreme NE. Georgia, and west to NE. Iowa; to 2500' (762m) in north and 3000-6000' (914-1829m) or higher in the south."

For more information such as a reference book that includes species and identification key, please refer to Brown & Kirkman, 1990

In order to access the Identification Guide for the Birch species and in particular the Yellow Birch, please click here to return to the Betula Genus homepage.

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Betula alleghaniensis

AREA STATUS REFERENCES
North America:
Continental United States; Canada
Some areas, Manitoba to NewfoundlandLittle, 1980
Eastern North America:
United States east of Mississippi;
Manitoba to Newfoundland
YesLittle, 1980
Southeastern United States:
DE DC GA KY MD NC SC TN VA WV
SomeElias, 1980
Southern Appalachian States:
GA KY MD NC SC TN VA WV
MostElias, 1980
Coastal PlainNoBrown & Kirkman, 1990;
PiedmontNoBrown & Kirkman, 1990
Blue Ridge MountainsYesBrown & Kirkman, 1990
Great Smoky Mountains National ParkYesKemp, 1993
Ridge and Valley?-
Cumberland Plateau?-
GeorgiaYesBrown & Kirkman, 1990
Clarke County, GeorgiaNo Jones & Colie, 1988ACC Registry
Sams Farm?-

Natural History

How to Encounter
The Yellow Birch can be found in the Northeast Georgia counties, the Blue Ridge mountain area, the Smoky mountains, and much of the east coast region. For more information on where to find this species, please refer to Brown & Kirkman, 1990 and Little, 1980.

References
Athens-Clarke County Tree Registry. 1978.

Brown, Claud L. and L. Katherine Kirkman. 1990. Trees of Georgia and Adjacent States. Timber Press, Inc. Portland, Oregon. (ISBN 0-88192-148-3). 292 pages.

Elias, Thomas S. 1980. The Complete Trees of North America Field Guide and Natural History. Book Division, Time Mirror Magazines, Inc. New York, NY. (ISBN 0-442-23862-2). 948 pages.

Jones, Samuel B. and Nancy C. Colie. 1988. Checklist of the Vascular Flora of Clarke County, Georgia. Department of Botany, University of Georgia. Athens, GA.

Kemp, Steve. 1993. Trees of the Smokies. Great Smoky Mountains Natural History Association. Hong Kong. (ISBN 0-937207-09-8). 125 pages.

Little, Elbert L. 1980. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees. Alfred A. Knopf. New York, NY. (ISBN 0-394-50760-6). 714 pages.