35 River Birch
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Basic Information about this tree
  • Scientific Name: Betula nigra
  • Common Name: River Birch, Water Birch, Black Birch
  • Deciduous
  • Native
  • Branch Structure: Regular, fairly upright, 
  • Sunlight / Moisture / Soil preference:  Best soil properties for river birch: Sandy to clay soils, Soil pH 4.0 to 6.5, Moist to wet well-drained to poorly-drained soils. 
  • Flowering type: River birch is monoecious (separate male and female flowers on the same plant) with flowers arranged in catkins.
  • Pollination strategy: Wind
  • Age Estimate/ Health: Healthy, 10 years?
  • Longevity: 50 years
  • Mature Size: 50-75 ft tall by 35-50 ft wide
  • GPS Coordinates: N45.00328, W92.90202 
  • Branch Structure: The branches of river birch are smooth with many lenticels (L), but the trunk and older branches are scaly or peeling (C and R), with variable color.

  • Growth habit of roots: Betula nigra root systems spread widely. In dry conditions, they will stretch and lengthen toward any source of water.

Mature Tree in Winter/ Summer

Leaves in Summer / Fall

Flowers - Female & Male Flowers occur on the same tree

River birch is monoecious (separate male and female flowers on the same plant) with flowers arranged in catkins. Male flowers are shown in early and late stages of development.

Fruit - winged seeds

The female flowers develop seeds in structures called strobili, which are similar to cones on a coniferous tree. Like all trees in the birch family, the strobili do not mature until the spring after flowering. The seeds are then dispersed through the wind carried by small wings. 

Bark of Mature Tree

35 river birch young bark

Uses in Traditional and Modern Eras

Value for wildlife:  River birch support a wide variety of wildlife as deer and other browsers feed on the foliage, songbirds feast on the small but plentiful seeds, and ruby-throated hummingbirds drink the sap. A unique feature of birch trees are the oils that make the bark both flammable and waterproof.

Utility for Humans: Woodland tribes would tap the river birch to harvest the sap in early spring before the leaves unfurl. Their boiled-down sap is thicker than maple syrup and tastes more like molasses. Though it’s not as sweet as the sap of other birch, the sap can be used as a sweetener. The sap would be boiled down further until it crystalized. They dried it out, using hollowed logs to help it dry, turning it into solid sugar for easier longer storage. Wood characteristics and uses: Light brown, close-grained, hard, and strong; used in the manufacture of furniture; however, since this tree is scattered in its distribution and mostly confined to banks of streams, it does not figure largely in commercial lumbering but is used to a great extent for fuel. (ref: Minnesota DNR)

Traditional uses in Native American Tree Medicine (historical): Information provided by Paul Red Elk, Lakota Medicine Man: A River birch salve from dried inner bark helps sooth sore muscles and achy joints Woodland American Indians using the inner bark and small pieces of root to make salves  for skin issues. Also used to treat kidney stones, bladder infections, arthritis, or poor circulation.

Homeowner’s Corner: As a landscape plant, it is a is a fast-growing shade tree with  ornamental peeling barkgrown as a single-stem tree or in a clump as a multi-stemmed tree with three or more trunks. River birch is resistant to bronze birch borer, a destructive pest on many other birch species.  River Birch tolerates some dryness and soil compaction. Plant in full sun, tolerates heat. (ref: University of Minnesota)

Links & References

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