Important Forest Trees of the United States 



791 



81. Yellow birch. 82. Sweet birch. 83. River birch. 84. Paper birch. 



rr. Leafstalks less than 1 inch long; seeds not hairy (except 



Nos. 86 and 87). 



s. Leaf edges with teeth of 2 sizes and slightly irregular; 

 fruit a cone, upright in Nos. 81-83, hanging down in Nos. 

 84 and 85 BIRCH (Betula). 

 t. Leaves mostly with 9 to 1 1 main veins on each side. 



81. YELLOW BIRCH, Betula lutea Michx. f. (birch [lumber], gray birch, silver birch, 

 swamp birch ) . 



Large tree of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada and Appalachian 

 Mountain region. Bark (aromatic on young branches) yellowish or silvery gray, shiny, 

 separating into papery, curly strips; on old trunks reddish brown. Leaves oval, 3 to 5 inches 

 long, long- or short-pointed, sharply and doubly toothed, mostly with 9 to 1 1 main veins 

 on each side, nearly smooth, dull dark green above, yellow green below. Cones ^4 to 1 *4 

 inches long. 



Principal uses: Birches are among the leading furniture woods. Also boxes, baskets, 

 crates, woodenware, handles, spools and bobbins, millwork, flooring, distillation products, 

 railroad ties, and fuel. Yellow birch plywood is used in airplane construction. Shade tree. 

 (State tree of New Hampshire.) 



82. SWEET BIRCH, Betula lenta L. (birch [lumber], black birch, cherry birch). 

 Medium-sized to large tree of Appalachian Mountain region and adjacent Canada. 



Bark aromatic on young branches, dark reddish brown, smooth, shiny; on large trunks 

 fissured into scaly plates. Leaves oval, 2J/2 to 5 inches long, long-pointed, sharply and 

 doubly toothed, mostly with 9 to 1 1 main veins on each side, silky-hairy beneath when 

 young but becoming nearly smooth, dark dull green above, light yellow green beneath. 

 Cones 94 to 1 }/2 inches long. 



Principal uses: Same as No. 81. 



tt. Leaves mostly with 4 to 9 main veins on each side. 



83. RIVER BIRCH, Betula nigra L. (red birch). 



Medium-sized to large tree of wet soil in eastern half of United States. Bark reddish 

 brown or silvery gray, shiny, becoming fissured and separating into papery scales. Leaves 

 oval, 1 YZ to 3 inches long, short-pointed, wedge-shaped at base, doubly toothed, mostly 

 with 7 to 9 main veins on each side, shiny dark green above, whitish and usually hairy 

 beneath. Cones 1 to 1 ^2 inches long. 



Principal uces: Ornamental and for erosion control. 



