Betula lenta
Sweet Birch, Black Birch
General
Sweet birch is named for its strong wintergreen aroma and taste. The bark and sap are used in the production of birch beer. Sweet Birch is an attractive, medium-sized tree, with dark grey bark and leaves that turn bright yellow in autumn. It's an excellent plant for wildlife.
Plant Description
Bark can be bronze through grey with distinct horizontal lenticels. Fully mature bark is (dark) grey, with irregularly shaped plates that curl away from the trunk. Leaves 2 ½-5 inches long, widest in middle and tapering to both ends. Leaf tip is (long) pointed, leaf base is notched or cordate. Male catkins 2-3” long, female catkins 1”, born on the same shrub.
Height (ft)
50-70
Spread (ft)
15-30
Soil moisture
Medium
Soil types
Rich, moist, acidic soils. tolerates coarse to medium textured soils.
Wetland indicator
FACU
Shade tolerance
Full Sun-Part Shade
Bloom color
Yellow
Bloom period
April
Fall conspicuous
Yes - Yellow
Anaerobic tolerance
None
Drought tolerance
Medium
Salinity tolerance
Low
Self-Pollinating?
Yes
Range
Southern Maine westward through southern New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, to eastern Ohio; and south to Pennsylvania through the Appalachian Mountains to northern Alabama and Georgia.
Additional Information
According to BRIT - Native American Ethnobotany Database, the inner bark has been used to make a tonic. The bark has been used to build houses and lodges and to make birch bark canoes.