| Scientific Name: | Betula alleghaniensis |
| Common Name: | yellow birch |
| Family Name: | Betulaceae |
| Origin: | Canada - eastern, U.S. - northeast |
| Hardiness Zone: | Zone 4: (-34 to -29 °C) |
| Plant Type: | Tree - deciduous |
| Mature Size: | 22 - 30m x 7 - 10m (height x width) |
| Habit: | Upright |
| Form: | Pyramidal - widely |
| Texture: | Medium |
| Landscape Uses: | Attract birds, Erosion control, Wildlife food, Woodland margin |
| Exposure: | Full sun |
| Soil or Media: | Well-drained |
| Leaves: | Simple, Alternate, Soft flexible, Pinnate venation, Glabrous, Ovate, Double serrate, Serrulate |
| Flowers: | Catkin (ament), Yellow, Brown, Apr |
| Fruit: | Samara, Brown, Jul-Aug-Sep-Oct, (Persistent) |
| Key ID Features: | |
| Variable species but most with yellowish exfoliating bark (peals off horizontally), becoming grayish with age; twigs orange-brown; leaves alternate, ovate, most blades 6-12(-16) long x 4-9cm wide, margin double-serrate; female catkins green, 2-3cm long; male catkins in clusters of 2-6 at end of twigs, green to purple-yellow, pendulous, 7-10cm long when mature. Winter ID: exfoliating yellowish bark; twigs slender, pubescent; lateral buds conical, pubescent, each scale two shades of brown, wintergreen flavour when chewed; immature catkins. | |