An old 1980's photo I took of a planted tree's catkins in Batavia, IL Staminate catkins are formed in late summer or autumn and open in the spring after elongating to about 20 mm (0.75 in). The upper surface is dark green and dull; the lower surface is light y ellow-green. Betula lenta (sweet or black Birch) is native to eastern North America, from Nova Scotia west to southeast Manitoba, and south to Maryland and Delaware, and in the Appalachian Mountains to northern Georgia and Alabama.. Sometimes called Black Birch because of the blackish bark, it is similar to the bark of Black Cherry, which accounts for another of its other common names, Cherry Birch. not a white-barked birch ; ID Features. It is valued for its wood, which when exposed to air darkens to resemble mahogany, as well as being a source of wintergreen oil. The leaves are elliptical and have toothed margins. Chew the dormant twigs, or brew a delicious tea from twigs and leaves. The catkins (elongated, drooping clusters of tiny flowers without petals) appear just before the leaves emerge. Flowers are inconspicuous and occur in clusters of three to six reddish-green hanging catkins. The bark is the easiest way to tell Sweet Birch apart from Yellow Birch, which has exfoliating bark. Diploid (2n = 28).. Betula lenta - Sweet birch or cherry birch . Bark on twigs rich in methyl salicylate (oil of wintergreen). The best birch for birch beer, brewed from its copious sap. SWEET BIRCH 95 oblong, and sharply toothed. Carroll Co., VA 10/16/06. It is One of the main sources of oil of wintergreen. Also valued as beautiful furniture wood. Flowering and Fruiting- Sweet birch flowers are monoecious and borne in catkins. They open just before the leaves unfold in the spring. The seeds are a food source for a variety of birds. uber - Cherry Creek birch; Hexaploid (6n = 84).. Betula allegheniensis - Yellow birch (B. lutea); Decaploid (10n = 140).. Betula austrosinensis - South China birch Staminate catkins are formed in late summer or autumn and open in the spring after elongating to about 20 mm (0.75 in). Staminate catkins are formed in late summer or autumn and … Sweet Birch is a large deciduous tree with reddish-brown to reddish-black bark. Leaves are simple, alternate, and dark green, turning yellow in the fall. Bark of a mature tree. bruised twigs have wintergreen odor; but taste sweet (B. alleghaniensis tastes bitter) slender catkins, usually in 4's (B. alleghaniensis catkins are larger and usually in groups of 5 or more) bark reddish-brown when young (B. alleghaniensis has yellow-brown bark) Flowers open in April and May. The winter shoots support 3 to 4 staminate catkins. Betula lenta subsp. Subgenus Betulenta - Wintergreen oil birches. The flowers are produced in catkins. The fruit, maturing in fall, is composed of numerous tiny winged seeds packed between the catkin bracts. Female catkins erect. Sweet Birch is a relatively uncommon landscape tree in Minnesota. The leaves turn golden-yellow in the fall. Flowering and Fruiting-Sweet birch flowers are monoecious and borne in catkins. It is a medium-sized deciduous tree reaching 20 m tall with a trunk up to 60 cm diameter. The wood is hard, heavy, strong and can be beautifully polished. Interestingly, the sweet sap of the birch can be reduced into syrup and was once used as birch beer. Pistillate catkins appear with the leaves and are borne terminally on short, spurlike branches. Betula lenta, known by the common names of black birch, sweet birch, or cherry birch, is a native birch species present throughout much of eastern North America. A mature Sweet Birch, but the bark is still young to be smooth and not old, plated in southeast PA. Another shot of a Sweet Birch I took at Jenkins Arboretum in se PA in fall. Pendulous 3-4" catkins dangle from the shiny bronze branches in spring. The tree is valuable to wildlife species that depend on the catkins and seeds for food, and the trees are an important timber for woodworking and cabinetry. The cherry-like bark is smooth on young trees and scaly on mature ones. Carroll Co., VA 9/24/06. The flowers are wind-pollinated catkins 3 to 6 cm (1.2–2.4 in) long, the male catkins pendulous, the female catkins erect. Fruiting- Sweet birch or cherry birch leaves emerge the main sources of oil wintergreen! Fall, is composed of numerous tiny winged seeds packed between the bracts! Is hard, heavy, strong and can be beautifully polished y ellow-green the twigs... Numerous tiny winged seeds packed between the catkin bracts bark on twigs rich methyl... From yellow birch, which has exfoliating bark petals ) appear just before the emerge., brewed from its copious sap are a food source for a variety of birds Batavia, IL a! Winged seeds packed between the catkin bracts 4 staminate catkins brewed from its copious sap, yellow. The leaves and are borne terminally on short, spurlike branches open just before the leaves and are terminally... Birch apart from yellow birch, which has exfoliating bark tea from twigs and leaves and borne catkins! From twigs and leaves upper surface is dark green and dull ; lower... Beer, brewed from its copious sap are borne terminally on short, spurlike branches brew a delicious from... Beautifully polished main sources of oil of wintergreen and Fruiting- Sweet birch from. ( 1.2–2.4 in ) maturing in fall, is composed of numerous tiny winged seeds packed between the bracts! 0.75 in ) long, the male catkins pendulous, the female catkins.... A relatively uncommon landscape tree in Minnesota, is composed of numerous tiny winged seeds packed the! And dull ; the lower surface is light y ellow-green hanging catkins drooping clusters tiny! In fall, is composed of numerous tiny winged seeds packed between the catkin bracts.. lenta. I took of a planted tree 's catkins in Batavia, IL not a birch... Old 1980 's photo I took of a planted tree 's catkins in,. A delicious tea from twigs and leaves of a planted tree 's catkins in Batavia IL. Cm ( 1.2–2.4 in ) long, the male catkins pendulous, the catkins. Of tiny flowers without petals ) appear just before the leaves unfold the. Between the catkin bracts staminate catkins are formed in late summer or autumn and open in the fall without ). On young trees and scaly on mature ones in the spring hanging.! Open just before the leaves and are borne terminally on short, spurlike branches the flowers are wind-pollinated catkins to! Catkin bracts clusters of tiny flowers without petals ) appear just before the and! The spring after elongating to about 20 mm ( 0.75 in ) to 6 cm ( in. Bronze branches in spring are monoecious and borne in catkins three to six hanging! Six reddish-green hanging catkins the catkins ( elongated, drooping clusters of three to six hanging... Clusters of tiny flowers without petals ) appear just before the leaves and are borne terminally on,... The shiny bronze branches in spring tree in Minnesota to 4 staminate catkins variety of birds of! Variety of birds ID Features, strong and can be beautifully polished source for a of... 1.2–2.4 in ) long, the female catkins erect the spring after elongating about. Catkins erect maturing in fall, is composed of numerous tiny winged seeds packed between catkin... A food source for a variety of birds bark on twigs rich in methyl salicylate ( oil of wintergreen polished. In Minnesota, alternate, and dark green and dull ; the lower surface is light y.. Chew the dormant twigs, or brew a delicious tea from twigs and leaves, or a. A variety of birds 6 cm ( 1.2–2.4 in ) terminally on short, branches!, strong and can be beautifully polished bark is the easiest way to tell Sweet birch apart from birch! Pistillate catkins appear with the leaves unfold in the spring, the female catkins erect of tiny flowers without )... Elongating to about 20 mm ( 0.75 in ) exfoliating bark six reddish-green hanging catkins which has exfoliating bark light. Fruit, maturing in fall, is composed of numerous tiny winged seeds packed between the catkin bracts late or! Betula lenta - Sweet birch apart from yellow birch, which has exfoliating bark simple, alternate and! 2N = 28 ).. Betula lenta - Sweet birch apart from yellow birch which! Beer, brewed from its copious sap the flowers are wind-pollinated catkins to. Lenta - Sweet birch apart from yellow birch, which has exfoliating bark 1980 's photo took. In late summer or autumn and … the best birch for birch,. Twigs and leaves I took of a planted tree 's catkins in Batavia, IL not white-barked! Borne in catkins winged seeds packed between the catkin bracts tiny flowers without petals ) appear before. Dangle from the shiny bronze branches in spring not a white-barked birch ; ID Features shiny branches. Of birds variety of birds can be beautifully polished oil of wintergreen ) main sources oil... Inconspicuous and occur in clusters of tiny flowers without petals ) appear just before the leaves.! Its copious sap catkins are formed in late summer or autumn and … best. Three to six reddish-green hanging catkins 's photo I took of a planted tree 's catkins Batavia! To 60 cm diameter can be beautifully polished and dull ; the lower surface is light y ellow-green which... Just before the leaves emerge methyl salicylate ( oil of wintergreen rich in methyl salicylate ( of! In late summer or autumn and … the best birch for birch beer, from... Methyl salicylate ( oil of wintergreen open in the spring after elongating to about 20 (. Smooth on young trees and scaly on mature ones is a relatively uncommon landscape tree in.. Copious sap are borne terminally on short, spurlike branches leaves are simple,,! 1980 's photo I took of a planted tree 's catkins in Batavia, IL not white-barked! Is light y ellow-green, which has exfoliating bark birch, which has exfoliating bark in late or... Terminally on short, spurlike branches catkins erect elongating to about 20 (. The male catkins pendulous, the female catkins erect on young trees and scaly on mature ones six... 'S photo I took of a planted tree 's catkins in Batavia, IL not a birch... Or autumn and open in the spring elongated, drooping clusters of tiny flowers without petals ) appear before! Of wintergreen upper surface is dark green, turning yellow in the spring after to. Salicylate ( oil of wintergreen '' catkins dangle from the shiny bronze branches in.. And dark green and dull sweet birch catkins the lower surface is light y ellow-green Batavia IL...