862 Yell/Gold/Swamp Birch Plugs

The yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis), also known as golden birch or swamp birch, is a large, valuable, and long-lived deciduous tree native to northeastern North America. It is named for its distinctive shiny yellow-bronze, peeling bark.

Key Characteristics

Bark: On young stems and branches, the bark is shiny, silvery-yellow or bronze, peeling freely into thin, papery, horizontal strips. As the tree matures, the bark darkens into a reddish-brown with scaly plates.

Twigs and Scent: Crushed twigs and inner bark have a distinct aroma and taste of wintergreen due to the presence of methyl salicylate oil, a key identifying feature.

Leaves: The leaves are simple, alternate, oval to oblong, with doubly serrated margins, turning bright golden yellow in the autumn.

Size and Form: The tree can reach heights of 60 to 75 feet (18-23 meters), occasionally up to 100 feet, with an irregularly rounded to spreading crown.

Habitat: It thrives in cool, moist, well-drained, acidic soils and is commonly found in upland forests, swamps, and along stream banks. Seeds often germinate on decaying logs or stumps, leading to trees with unique ""stilt"" roots as they mature."