Taxon

Betula nigra

 
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Betula nigra - River Birch, Water Birch, Red Birch, Black Birch
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Common name: River Birch, Water Birch, Red Birch, Black Birch
Family: Betulaceae (Birch)
Distribution: Central to E USA
Habitat: Low and medium elevations, most common along streams
Hardiness: -30 - 30 F
Life form: Deciduous tree
Fall color: Yellow
Foliage characteristics: Simple, alternate, oval-rhombic, base cuneate, doubly serrate, glossy green above, gray or blue-gray and pubescent beneath, with 7-9 paired veins. 1-3" long.
Pest resistance: Most borer-resistant birch
Fruit characteristics: Winged, small, brown, and many. Mature in May to June.
Structure: Young: pyramid Mature: rounded
Bloom Time: April-May
Medicinal/pharmaceutical: Leaves chewed or used as an infusion to treat dysentery. Infusion of bark was used to treat stomach problems and urination problems.
Attracts: Birds; gypsy moth larvae
Bark characteristics: Light brown to buff, paperlike. Exfoliating on young trees, scaly on older trees.
Average height: 40-70'
Bloom characteristics: Brown and green catkins, unisexual, on the same tree. Male catkins form on twig tips in the fall and mature the following April or May. Female catkins develop with the leaves and open in early spring.
Description: As its common name implies, the river birch is most commonly found growing along streams, where it helps control erosion. It is an excellent landscaping tree, due to its curling creamy brown bark, better disease resistance than other birches, and ability to stand slight drought and flood. The river birch is also planted to reclaim land damaged by strip mining and control erosion. This birch produces many nutlets, which attract songbirds.
This tree is Threatened in New Hampshire.
Links: Fire Effects Information System (FEIS) • Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder • USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

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