3 Common Birch Trees In Virginia (Pictures & Identification)
If you’re a fan of birch trees, you might be surprised to know that there are a few varieties that can be found in Virginia. Even though they’re not as common as some other types of ornamental trees, they’re still pretty cool to check out.
In this article, we will take a closer look at the three most common birch trees in Virginia: the Yellow Birch, the Sweet Birch, and the River Birch. They are all unique in their own way and surprisingly well-suited to Virginia’s hot and humid climate.
So, let’s get started.
1. Yellow Birch
- Scientific Name: Betula alleghaniensis
- Common Name: Yellow Birch
- Height: 60 to 80 feet
- Width: 1 to 3 feet in diameter
- Native: Northeastern US
- Flowers: Reddish green
- Fruit: Cone-like
- Uses: Mostly as ornamental
The Yellow Birch is a majestic tree that can reach heights of 60 to 80 feet and diameters of 1 to 3 feet. Among the three birch trees in Virginia, the yellow birch is the showiest one.
It grows best in well-drained, fertile loams at altitudes of at least 3000 feet and has an uneven, broad crown with drooping branches.
The 3–5-inch-long leaves are basic in design and occur in an alternate arrangement. Male catkins are reddish green and can be seen near the tips of 1-inch thin twigs in the spring, while female catkins are upright and measure only 5/8 of an inch in height.
The cone-shaped fruit is between three-quarters and eleven-quarters of an inch in length, and it bears two nutlets with wings that are protected by hairy scales in case of attack.
Young trees have bronze bark that is lustrous and peels off in tiny strips horizontally, whereas elder trees get reddish-brown scaly plates on their trunks.
Even though the twigs are relatively thin, they are strong and change from a greenish brown to a lighter brown and become smooth as they age. When broken, they still have a faint smell of winter green.
The yellow birch tree produces a dense, long-lasting wood that is perfect for veneer flooring, plywood cabinets, woodenware, interior doors, pulpwood, charcoal, tar oils, and many other uses in the lumber industry. Animals including deer, red squirrels, grouse, and others eat the buds and catkins of this plant.
Yellow birch is highly flammable, and even a damp piece of wood can catch fire. So, if you live in a forest fire-prone region, it is discouraged to grow these trees.
2. Sweet Birch
- Scientific Name: Betula lenta
- Common Name: Sweet Birch, Black Birch, Cherry Birch
- Height: 50 to 60 feet
- Width: 2 to 3 feet in diameter
- Native: Northeastern US
- Flowers: Green catkins (M), Green-tinged in red (F)
- Fruit: Cone-like
- Uses: Lumber, veneer, furniture, cabinets, etc
A deciduous tree with a potential height of 50–60 feet and a trunk diameter of 2-3 feet, the sweet birch is also known as the black birch or cherry birch. The trunk is strong and straight, while the crown is round and spreading.
It is most common on wet, fertile slopes facing north and east, but it can also be found in dry, rocky areas. It has hairy stems and tufts of hair along the midveins on the undersides of its alternate, simple, oval-to-oblong leaves.
In the spring, both male and female catkins can be seen. Male catkins are 3/4 to 1 inch in length, while female catkins are ¼ to ¾ of an inch in length. Both of these catkins are red with a greenish tint.
The cone-shaped nuts that this tree makes are about 1 to 1 ½ inches long, have scales all over them, and contain tiny nuts with two wings.
Mature trees have black, dull bark that breaks into huge, irregular plates. Also, the twigs are thin and coated in pores that release a wintergreen scent when cut. Most of the older trees also have two-toned green and brown buds and spur shoots.
In the past, sweet birch hardwood lumber was used to make furniture, veneers, cabinets, woodenware boxes, handles, paper pulp, and other things. In the spring, you can tap birch trees for their sap and brew a tasty birch beer.
3. River Birch
- Scientific Name: Betula nigra
- Common Name: River Birch, Red Birch, Water Birch
- Height: 70 to 80 feet
- Width: 1 to 3 feet
- Native: Northeastern US
- Flowers: Reddish-green catkins (M), light green catkins (F)
- Fruit: Cone-like
- Uses: Inexpensive furniture, ornamental purposes
The river birch is a beautiful and hardy tree native to the Coastal Plain in the southeastern United States. These are the most commonly found birch trees in Virginia.
It attains heights of 70–80 feet and has trunks as wide as 3 feet. Its main trunk often splits low down into multiple smaller trunks. It has a crooked, splayed crown and long, outspread limbs.
River birch trees thrive in the deep, rich soil found at the edges of ponds and swamps. These trees are widely planted for stream bank restoration, erosion control scenarios, and ornamental purposes.
It has simple, alternating, dark green leaves that are about an inch and a half to three inches in length and have a wedge-shaped base and doubly-toothed margins.
Later in the summer, it produces cone-shaped fruits that are 1 to 1 ½ inches long and have hairy scales that turn reddish brown when they are ready. The male catkins are 2 to 3 inches long and stay on the plant all season, while the female catkins are upright and light green and have many tiny seeds with three wings.
This species’ bark has a range of colors, from reddish brown to cinnamon red, when the tough papery layers are peeled back. Older trees have thick, furrowed bark that, over time, turns darker shades of reddish brown, giving it more character.
Depending on their age, thin, orange-brown twigs can be smooth or slightly fuzzy, making them visible even when bare in the dead of winter.
Even though their wood is so hard and close-grained, it is rarely harvested for timber purposes.
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Common Birch Trees In Virginia – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
As opposed to some other trees like cedar or maple, birch trees are less common in Virginia. The question of whether birch trees can grow in Virginia has caused a lot of confusion among gardeners and those who love trees.
In this section, I’ll respond to some of the questions that people on online forums ask most frequently about this topic.
Are there any birch trees in Virginia?
Even though birch trees are not as common as many other species, some varieties of birch can be found in almost all of the counties in Virginia. These include yellow birch, sweet birch, and river birch. Among these three varieties, the river birch is the most commonly found.
Is river birch native to Virginia?
The River Birch tree is considered to be native to Virginia. It is naturally found in all of the counties in Virginia along the streams and river edges.
Sources
The Regional Gardening team makes sure that the information in our articles is accurate by only using sources that are known to be trustworthy. These sources include peer-reviewed journals published by esteemed universities, scientific research institutions, and governments.
- Virginia Department Of Forestry
- Virginia Native Plant Society
- The US Forest Service
- Virginia Natural Heritage Program
