Betula alleghaniensis
Habitat:
Commonly found at the higher elevations in the Appalachians (3,000-4,000 feet). Prefers moist woods
and poorly-drained soils; ubiquitous in swamp forests and bogs. It is often seen growing near sweet birch, hemlock, and
rhododendron.
Characteristics: A moderately tall tree that approaches 80 feet in height; the trunk having
a diameter of 2-4 feet. The bark is yellow-bronze in color and peels away in small curls. Broken
twigs give off a fragrant wintergreen odor.
In Ohio, the yellow birch is found in deep, moist, cool ravines in the northeastern quarter of the state and southward along the western border of the Allegheny Plateau. It generally grows in association with hemlock, sugar maple, and beech trees.
The lustrous, smooth, silvery-yellow bark on the limbs and young trunks gives the tree its name. As the trunk grows larger, the bark breaks and rolls back in thin paper curls.The twigs have a faint wintergreen scent like that of the black birch, with which this tree may be confused. However, the wintergreen scent of black birch twigs is very strong. About 75 percent of the lumber marketed under the name of birch comes from the yellow birch.
