Quick growing but short-lived, it seeds prolifically, providing burned or abandoned areas with a ground cover that protects the seedlings of more permanent trees. No need to use pruning paint. The thin, glossy, dark green, triangular leaves have long, thin stems and flutter in the wind. The bark of the saplings and trees is white, but punctuated with gray chevrons where the branches meet the trunk. 25 Sept. 2013. It most often appears in … Store or transport cuttings, if you cannot immediately place them in the rooting medium, in a plastic … Gray Birch has a 37-bed capacity, offering three private rooms and 17 semi-private rooms. It is most easily confused for the paper birch (Betula papyrifera) by means of its bark; it is smooth and thin but does not readily exfoliate like paper birch does. This tree is noted for (1) its non-peeling chalky white bark with dark chevron trunk patches appearing below each branch base and (… It typically occurs in both dry and wet soils. Betula populifolia (gray or grey birch) is a deciduous tree native to eastern North America. Check out our gray birch tree selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. Birch trees are recognizable by their bark, which peels off in strips in all birches except the gray birch. Bright green leaves turn a yellow fall color. The white bark of Gray Birch is tight on the trunk and develops gray streaks when old around the base of the tree. Omissions? Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. They are dark green and glabrous above and paler below, with a coarsely serrated margin. "Grey birch" redirects here. Tony 2 years ago Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Sun, will grow on poor soil, both wet and dry. For the moth, see. Birch will bleed sap if pruned in winter or early spring, so wait until the leaves are out on your Birch trees before you prune them. In one variety, the leaves are purplish when young. The fruit, maturing in autumn, is composed of many tiny winged seeds packed between the catkin bracts. Reply. Average Dried Weight: 35 lbs/ft 3 (560 kg/m 3) ... I’m Guessing they use the gray birch clubs for ceremonies And dances, and They use the yellow birch for clubs that would be used in actual combat. The wood is medium hard and is used for high grade plywood, furniture, drum shells, spools and firewood. Shows some resistant to bronze birch borer. Birch tree seeds and bark are often eaten by area wildlife. Resistant to bronze birch borer and air pollution. It ranges from southeastern Ontario east to Nova Scotia, and south to Pennsylvania and New Jersey, with disjunct populations in Indiana, Virginia, and North Carolina. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. It prefers poor, dry upland soils, but is also found in moist mixed woodlands. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Birch, any of about 40 species of short-lived ornamental and timber trees and shrubs constituting...…. https://www.britannica.com/plant/gray-birch, Missouri Botanical Garden - Betula populifolia. Print. Betula populifolia bark, Vermont, US. to Bronze Birch Borer." G ray birch is a short-lived and not particu-larly valuable tree. Gray, Paper Birch Trees Another birch tree grown as much for its peeling bark as for its fall foliage is the paper birch (Betula papyrifera). Gray birch often is injured by ice and snow. Gray birch grows quickly to 20 to 30 feet tall and 15 inch trunk diameter, with an irregular open crown of slender branches. The White Birch tree is characterized by its beautiful white bark (when mature) and drooping branches, whereas the River Birch tree has a brownish-red exfoliating bark and pyramidal to rounded … The red-brown or gray bark of young stems and branches whitens as the tree matures, becoming red orange on the inner surface. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2001. It most often appears in a multi-trunked form, but also grows with a single trunk. 90 GRAY BIRCH G B Betula populifolia Marsh. Birch is a lovely tree with ornate bark - which can be white, grey, yellow, silver or black - that is often used in furniture due to its high-quality wood. Young trees have smooth bark. It is more common further to the east and northeast. However, they can be easily distinguished by bark texture or leaf shape. Deep ridges on the bark are characteristic for the older plants. Nielsen, David G., Vanessa L. Muilenburg, and Daniel A. Herms. Hardin, James W., Donald Joseph Leopold, and Fred M. White. Landscaping: Gray birch is an attractive tree that is often used as a winter landscape plant or when space limitations require the use of trees with a smaller stature. Gray Birch Betula populifolia - #14 Smallest of the northeastern birches, this tree tends to grow in attractive clumps and is easily identified by its dull, chalky-to-grey bark highlighted by black triangular patches where the branches meet the trunk. The flowers are wind-pollinated catkins 5–8 cm long, the male catkins pendulous and the female catkins erect. The leaves are 5-7.5 cm long by 4–6 cm wide, alternately arranged, ovate, and tapering to an elongated tip. With its whimsical branches and gorgeous fall foliage, the birch tree is a … Additional information on Betula populifolia can be found on the link: USDA / NRCS PLANTS Database. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership - Now 30% off. Small, often multi-stemmed tree with white bark. Habitats include burnt-over areas of sandy woodlands and sandy savannas, scrubby sand prairies, thickets, banks of Gray birch is a narrow, pyramidal tree of cool climates. Between about 1930 and 1950, many gray birch trees, along with paper birch and yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis), were affected and killed by birch dieback disease.[3]. The outer bark resembles that of paper birch but is not so white, peels less, and has rough, triangular, black patches below the junctions of branches and trunk. populations of Gray Birch in Illinois may be naturalized descendants of cultivated trees. Peterson. Native geographic location and habitat. See also birch. Gray and paper birch are easily confused as both have white bark, and they often grow together in the same habitat. [2] The leaves of the gray birch serve as food for various Lepidoptera, such as the leaf miner moth Cameraria betulivora. Black triangular patches form on bark, under branches. Shiny, red … Cherry Birch (Betula lenta) Cherry birch is a large tree that grows from a single main trunk. Tough and tender bark of gray, white, brown birch tree Originally thought to be Betula platyphylla japonica, Whitespire has recently been identified as Betula populifolia, Gray Birch, a species known to be bronze birch borer resistant. The tree often has multiple trunks branching off of an old stump. [1] The bark is chalky to grayish white with black triangular patches where branch meets trunk. A good selection for poor soils and other difficult sites, it also demonstrates some resistance to bronze birch borer (BBB). Gray birch wood is used in turnery and for fuel. Updates? It grows in dry to draining wet soils in … It occurs to some extent statewide, but is only abundant in the southern and eastern sections of the state. Infected trees have poor growth, dead branches in … It is a short-lived, small, pioneer species that readily colonizes clearings. gray birch Betulaceae Betula populifolia Marshall symbol: BEPO Leaf: Alternate, simple, pinnately-veined, triangular with a very elongated acuminate tip, 2 to 3 inches long, doubly serrate margin, green above and paler below. long (10 cm). By the time the tree is old, its bark has darkened considerably and taken on a rough and fissured appearance. Young trees have almost pinkish bark. It's not fussy about soil type and can grow even in poor soils. Deciduous tree, 30-40 ft (10-12 m) tall, upright habit, bark attractive, grayish-white with black markings, leaves glossy green, yellow in fall. Armillaria root rot Armillaria spp. It bears large, dark green leaves, which warm up to bright yellow in fall before they shed for the winter. March 24, 2004. (Gray Birch has been crossed with red-leaved cultivars of European White Birch to get more heat and drought resistant trees.) Bark of the birch can be white, grey, yellow, silver or black in color. Betula populifolia, commonly called gray birch, is a short-lived, narrow-columnar, suckering, deciduous tree that typically grows to 20-40 tall. Harlow & Harrar's Textbook of Dendrology. "Interspecific Variation in Resistance of Asian, European, and North American Birches (Betula Spp.) By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Older trees develop a chalky white bark that does not peel. 0. Check out our gray birch trees selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. Living only about 30 years, it is a common pioneer species on abandoned fields and burned areas. Gray birch, also spelled Grey Birch, also called Oldfield Birch, Wire Birch, or Poplar-leaved Birch, (Betula populifolia), slender ornamental tree of the family Betulaceae, found in clusters on moist sites in northeastern North America. Gray white trunk of a birch tree with green branches in foliage. Gray birch, also spelled Grey Birch, also called Oldfield Birch, Wire Birch, or Poplar-leaved Birch, (Betula populifolia), slender ornamental tree of the family Betulaceae, found in clusters on moist sites in northeastern North America. Rarely 12 m (40 feet) tall, it is covered almost to the ground with flexible branches that form a narrow, pyramidal crown. Our day room allows families to gather and residents to participate in activities or enjoy quiet time. Although the grey birch exhibits a smooth, thin white bark which can easily be confused with that of the paper birch (Betula papyrifera), it does not readily exfoliate. It can also be planted as a nurse tree to protect more valuable pines in the landscape that require protection to become established. Two of the most common birch tree species in the Northeast are the River Birch and White Birch. Gray birch… USDA NRCS National Plant Data Center (NPDC). ©J.S. Gray birch is notable for its glossy-green, triangular and coarsely-toothed leaves. Tree Size: 20-40 ft (6-12 m) tall, 1 ft (.3 m) trunk diameter. Betula populifolia (gray or grey birch) is a deciduous tree native to eastern North America. Like other North American birches, gray birch is highly resistant to the bronze birch borer (Agrilus anxius). Corrections? Gray birch has been commonly planted as a landscaping tree in southern Pennsylvania and New Jersey as it tolerates heat and humidity better than paper birch and is more resistant to bronze birch borers and leaf miners. This is a cultivar of a tree n ative to the northeastern United States. BioOne. Providing interest year round, this birch tree deserves a prominent spot in the landscape where its natural beauty can be enjoyed day after day. Preferred hosts are European white birch and whitebarked Himalayan birch; paper birch, gray birch are also attacked; river birch is rarely infested; More information on Bronze birch borer; 2 of 5. This easy care tree thrives in either full sun or partial shade. Part of a white gray birch with long branches and green small leaves Thick white, brown and gray bark of white birch. The birch tree is popular among homeowners due to its beautiful bark, modest size and graceful branches. Similar to paper birch but smaller and with a more southerly range. Hardy to USDA Zone 4 It is native primarily from Southeastern Canada to Virginia, with a scattering of plants extending westward to Illinois. Environmental Entomology 40.3 (2011): 648-53. Bark color and texture Young trees have a reddish-brown color, older trees develop a chalky white bark that does not peel. Betula populifolia, commonly called gray birch, is a short-lived, narrow-columnar, suckering, deciduous tree that typically grows to 20-40’ tall. Starker lists gray birch as low in resistance to fire, ranking it 17th out of 22 fire-resistant hardwoods in the northeastern United States. In spring, tiny yellowish-brown male flowers appear in drooping catkins, 4 in. It is frequently found in old fields, burns and heavi-ly-cut areas.This is a small tree that commonly Gray birch is able sprout from the root crown after aboveground portions are killed by fire . We also have an alcove where residents gather and socialize. The thin bark of gray birch is very flammable, so the tree is easily injured by fire [4,31]. The Silver birch garners its name from the fact that as it matures the bark turns a silvery gray. United States, CA, Berkeley, University of California Berkeley Botanical Garden. Betula populifolia leaves, New Brunswick, Canada. Ambesonne Birch Tree Curtains, White Branches with Leaves Autumn Nature Forest Inspired Image Print, Living Room Bedroom Window Drapes 2 Panel Set, 108" X 84", White Grey … Our plants are grown from seed collected from the original Whitespire Birch selection in an isolated seed block. Cold Stream Farm supplies Gray Birch trees which are grown as bare root seedlings and transplants and sold both wholesale and retail with no minimum order. This tree is wonderful in urban settings. University of Florida Environmental Horticulture, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Betula_populifolia&oldid=945753781, Trees of the Great Lakes region (North America), Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 15 March 2020, at 22:49. It is also planted as an ornamental in naturalistic landscapes. Its fall foliage color is yellow. Web.