Betula nigra Linnaeus. River Birch, Red Birch. Phen: Mar-Apr; May-Jun. Hab: Riverbanks, streambanks, floodplains, sandbars, disturbed uplands. Dist: NH west to se. MN and e. KS, south to ne. FL, FL Panhandle, and e. TX.

ID notes:The bark of young trees and branches of older trees is a distinctive pinkish color, peeling off in paper-like sheets. Older trees have dark gray, fissured bark. The broadly wedge-shaped leaf base and strongly doubly-serrate leaves are also distinctive.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Taxonomy Comments: A diploid species (2n=2x=28).

Synonymy: = Ar, C, F, Fl2, FNA3, G, GrPl, GW2, Il, K1, K3, K4, NcTx, NE, NY, Pa, RAB, S, Tn, Tx, Va, W, WH3, WV, Furlow (1990), Hardin (1971a)

Show in key(s)

Show parent