NATIVE WOODY PLANTS OF THE UNITED STATES 73 
Betula alleghaniensis, see Betula lutea. 
Betula coerulea Blanch. Blueleaf birch. 
B. pendula Fern., not Roth. 
Range: 15, 18, 21, 23, 24, 26, 27. 
Site: Well-drained, moist, sun. 
Fruit: Small samara or nutlet, available September—October. 
A large tree. 
Betula cordifolia, see Betuia papyrifera. 
Betula fontinalis Sarg. Red birch. 
B. occidentalis Nutt., not Hook., B. utahensis Britt., B. microphylla Bunge. 
Range: 4, 7, 8, 9, 12, 18, 14, 15. 
Site: Well-drained, moist, sun. 
Fruit: Small samara or nutlet. 
A small to rarely large tree; fair to good browse for sheep and goats; about 
1,134,000 seeds per pound. 
Var. piperi (Britt.) Sarg., (B. piperi Britt.) is smaller than the species, 
occurs in region 7, and is clump-forming. 
Betula glandulifera, see Betula pumila. 
Betula glandulosa Michx. Bog birch. 
B. hallii Howell. 
Range: 2, 4, 12, 13, 15, 28, 24, 26. 
Site: Wet, sun. 
Fruit: Small samara or nutlet. 
A small to large shrub; usually occurs in sphagnum bogs. 
Observations: White-tailed ptarmigan, northern sharp-tailed grouse, greater 
prairie chicken. Palatability good for cattle and sheep in most western sec- 
tions, but plants are often inaccessible because of their occurrence in bogs. 
Betula hallii, see Betula glandulosa. 
Betula lenta L. Sweet birch. 
Range: 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29. 
Site: Dry, well-drained, moist, sun, shade. 
Fruit: Small samara or nutlet, available September—October. 
A large tree with open foliage; rapid growing when young, later slower; 
long-lived; root system fibrous, deep, and spreading; not fire resistant; wind- 
firm; little attacked by disease except in old age; rarely attacked by insects; 
appears to flourish best in association with other species; wood used com- 
mercially to some extent; oil of wintergreen, produced by distillation of the 
leaves, is of importance commercially ; about 500,000 seeds per pound, germina- 
tion about 26 percent. 
Stomach records: Ruffed grouse, greater prairie chicken. Observations: Red- 
poll, sharp-tailed grouse; important food of white-tailed deer, moose, cotton- 
tail rabbit. 
Betula lutea Michx. f. Yellow birch. 
B. alleghaniensis Britt. 
Range: 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28. 
Site: Well-drained, moist, sun, shade. 
Fruit: Small samara or nutlet, available September—October. 
A large tree; rapid growing, especially when young; moderately long-lived; 
root system widespread; taproot usually developed in a lateral direction; not 
fire resistant; wood of importance commercially; 400,000-440,000 seeds per 
pound. 
Stomach records: Merganser, ruffed grouse. Observations: Seven species of 
birds, including sharp-tailed grouse, ruffed grouse, prairie chicken; important 
food of white-tailed deer; red squirrel, cottontail rabbit, moose. 
Betula microphylla, see Betula fontinalis. 
Betula montanensis, see Betula papyrifera. 
Betula nigra L. River birch. 
Range: 20, 22, 28, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29. 
Site: Moist, sun. 
Fruit: Small samara or nutlet, available July-September, 
