Betula nigra (River Birch; also occasionally called Water Birch) is a species of birch native to the eastern United States from New Hampshire west to southern Minnesota, and south to northern Florida and east Texas. It is commonly found in flood plains or swamps.[1]


Betula nigra BarkIt is a deciduous tree growing to 25 m (rarely to 30 m) high with a trunk up to 50 cm (rarely 150 cm) diameter, often with multiple trunks. The bark is variable, usually dark gray-brown to pinkish-brown and scaly, but in some individuals, smooth and creamy pinkish-white, exfoliating in curly papery sheets. The twigs are glabrous or thinly hairy, and odorless when scraped. The leaves are alternate, ovate, 4-8 cm long and 3-6 cm broad, with a serrated margin and five to twelve pairs of veins. The flowers are wind-pollinated catkins 3-6 cm long, the male catkins pendulous, the female catkins erect. The fruit is unusual among birches in maturing in late spring; it is composed of numerous tiny winged seeds packed between the catkin bracts

Stretch Marks

FactFrog.com
Copyright © 2005  All rights reserved.
Revised: 13 Jan 2008 18:22:00 -0500 .