Within a submenu, use escape to move to top level menu parent. The flowers are wind-pollinated catkins 3 to 6 cm (1.2–2.4 in) long, the male catkins pendulous, the female catkins erect. You can search, browse, and learn more about the plants in our living collections by visiting our BRAHMS website. Sweet birch, as the name implies will have a sweeter and more potent scent, with a deliciously sweet wintergreen flavor. The following menu has 3 levels. From top level menus, use escape to exit the menu. Native to the eastern United States, the tree also attracts beautiful butterflies to the landscape, serving as a caterpillar/larval host. The leaves are alternate, ovate, 5 to 10 cm (2.0–3.9 in) long and 4 to 8 cm (1.6–3.1 in) broad, with a finely serrated margin. Cankers, aphids, leaf miners.Moderately susceptible to bronze birch borer.Sensitive to soil compaction, air pollution. Generally the tree's smooth young bark begins to split around 40–50 years of age, that then begins to peel off the trunk around the age of 70-80 and is then replaced by another layer of bark, the second set will begin to peel around 130–150, and the third will peel when the tree has reached 200–210 years and achieved old growth status. Summary 2. use escape to move to top level menu parent. Betula lenta (sweet birch, also known as black birch, cherry birch, mahogany birch, or spice birch) is a species of birch native to eastern North America, from southern Maine west to southernmost Ontario, and south in the Appalachian Mountains to northern Georgia. They ripen in fall. The various species of birch trees in the Betula genus include at least 12 that are important landscape trees. Sweet birch occurs in moist, well-drained woodland slopes. The trees can be tapped in a similar fashion, but must be gathered about three times more often. Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menus and submenus. In older tree specimens the bark (unlike the more commonly known birches) develops vertical cracks into irregular scaly plates revealing rough dark brown bark patterns. Native to the eastern United States; often found in rocky sites. Use up and down arrow keys to explore within a submenu. Simple, alternate leaves; 2 to 6 inches long; broadly ovate ; doubly toothed margins.Medium green in summer turning golden yellow in fall. Black birch was once harvested extensively to produce oil of wintergreen—the tree was borderline endangered until the 1950s-60s when synthetic oil of wintergreen appeared. Fruit is an erect catkin with many tiny winged seeds. The bark of yellow birch will have small curls of material similar to paper birch but thinner, with a golden hue. sweet birch Betulaceae Betula lenta L. symbol: BELE Leaf: Alternate, simple, pinnately-veined, ovate, with an acute tip and cordate base, singly or irregularly doubly, sharply serrate margins, 2 to 4 inches long, petiole is stout and pubescent, dark shiny green above, paler below. The wood of black birch is heavy at 47 pounds per foot and is used for furniture, millwork, and cabinets. Best grown in full sun.Spring transplant only.Avoid pruning in spring as birches tend to 'bleed' (lose large quantities of sap). Betula lenta (sweet birch, also known as black birch, cherry birch, mahogany birch, or spice birch) is a species of birch native to eastern North America, from southern Maine west to southernmost Ontario, and south in the Appalachian Mountains to northern Georgia. The Morton Arboretum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that relies on the generosity of members and donors. Infestations of gypsy moths, wooly hemlock adelgid, and dogwood anthracose in the Northeastern US in the 1980s killed many trees and their place was taken by black birch. Deer do not tend to browse young B. lenta allowing trees to grow in areas with high deer populations, Betula alleghaniensis, a close relative of B. lenta, is, however, heavily browsed by deer. The oldest known B. lenta has been confirmed to be 368 years old.,[3] and the species may live even longer than that in an undisturbed ancient forest. Birch trees offer interesting bark color and texture and attractive foliage, but they are relatively short-lived and they may suffer from a susceptibility to diseases and insects, especially the bronze birch … Our trees. Sweet birch is an attractive tree for lawns and naturalized areas, with shiny, red-brown bark and yellow foliage. Get expert help from The Morton Arboretum Plant Clinic. Native to the eastern United States, the tree also attracts beautiful butterflies to the landscape, serving as a caterpillar/larval host. Our future. It can be used to make birch beer.[4]. Black birch seeds at a prolific rate and quickly colonize disturbed areas. Betula lenta (sweet birch, also known as black birch, cherry birch, mahogany birch, or spice birch) is a species of birch native to eastern North America, from southern Maine west to southernmost Ontario, and south in the Appalachian Mountains to northern Georgia. This, however, only occurs in mature, or ancient, trees and these specimens are not often identified by the public as B. lenta due to the difference between the tree's smooth young bark (which the public is most familiar with) and the tree's rough, cracked and plated mature bark. Stop by, email, or call. Birch sap can be boiled the same as maple sap, but its syrup is stronger (like molasses). Use up and down arrow keys to explore within a submenu. Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menus and submenus. Explore this online platform for Chicago-area residents to share their favorite stories about trees. Due to the cracking and developing of bark plates, a rough age estimate of B. lenta can be determined by how many bark layers a tree has. The leaves of this species serve as food for some caterpillars and the solitary leaf-cutter bee Megachile rubi cuts pieces from the leaves to line the cells of its nest.[5]. This species is resistant to bronze birch borer (BBB). Seed production mainly occurs in trees that are between 40 and 200 years old, although light crops may occur as early as 15 years and as long as the tree lives. Natural Areas Conservation Training Program, Black walnut toxicity (plants tolerant of), Preventing construction damage to trees and shrubs, Trees and shrubs for the four seasons landscape, Sudden Oak Death, Ramorum Blight and Phytophthora ramorum, Eastern United States Wetlands Collection. 2 to 3 inch male catkins are at tips of branches and hang down when opening.Female flowers are smaller and upright along same stem. In younger trees the bark is characteristic of most birches, with smooth bark and distinct horizontal lenticels. The sap flows about a month later than maple sap, and much faster. Have tree and plant questions? Closeup of bark beginning to crack and peel its first layer, 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T194483A2340770.en, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Betula_lenta&oldid=988224121, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 11 November 2020, at 21:20. 1. Our communities. It is sometimes mistakenly identified as a cherry tree. Building the urban forest for 2050. Betula lenta is a medium-sized deciduous tree reaching 30 m (98 ft) tall, exceptionally to 35 metres (115 ft)[2] with a trunk up to 60 cm (2.0 ft) diameter. Sweet birch is an attractive tree for lawns and naturalized areas, with shiny, red-brown bark and yellow foliage. It is similar to yellow birch wood and often not distinguished from it in the lumber trade.