Woody > Betula > Betula neoalaskana > Betula neoalaskana
Betula neoalaskana
Alaska Paper Birch
Origin: Northern Canada and Alaska.
Mike's
Opinion
"
A relatively unknown tree that looks very similar to Betula papyrifera except for a few distinct features, such as its resinous glands. It is a very hardy tree that can survive the most harsh conditions of northern Canada and Alaska.
Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)
"
| Family |
| Betulaceae |
| Genus |
| Betula |
| Species |
| neoalaskana |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Tree (deciduous) |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 3 |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 3a |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H7 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| (-57) - (-37) |
| Temperature (°F) |
| (-70) - (-35) |
| Height |
| 15 - 20 m |
| Spread |
| 5 - 12 m |
Photographs
Cultivars
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Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| Betula Neoalaskana is a small to medium sized tree with creamy white bark that peels off. Its twigs are covered in resinous glands. |
| Landscape |
| The tree is not commonly used in the landscape as it is still relatively unknown, but can be used similarly to the Paper Birch. The light coloured lumber from trees such as Betula Neoalaskana or Betula papyrifera (Paper Birch) is used for furniture or things such as cabinets. |
| Cultivation |
| Betula Neoalaskana grows in higher altitudes. Betula Neoalaskana grows in soil conditions ranging from mesic to hydric. The Alaska Paper Birch is an extremely cold hardy tree. |
| Shape |
| Narrow and oval, with stiffly upright, slender branches with some drooping tips. |
| Growth |
| Medium |
| ID Characteristic |
| Most notable characteristics are the smooth creamy white bark that peels off like paper, and resinous glands covering the twigs. |
| Pests |
| Is highly susceptible to Bronze Birch Borer. Snowshoe hares feed on the mature growth-phase internodes, but do not pose a threat. |
| Habitat |
| Betula Neoalaskana grows naturally in wet or poorly drained soils, in locations ranging from bogs to rocky slopes in Alaska and Northwestern Canada. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| Thin, smooth bark that is a dark reddish-brown when young and creamy white to slightly pinkish with maturity. Bark peels off in thin layers similar to Betula papyrifera. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description |
| Blunt buds that are greenish-brown, slightly hairy and resinous. Buds range from 1 cm to 2 cm long. |
| Leaf Description |
| Leaves range from 4 cm to 7 cm long, with a broad wedge-shaped base, and are triangular to broadly oval shaped. They have a smooth margin and a sharp pointed tip. Leaves have four or five veins per side ending with a tooth, with intervening teeth. Shiny dark green on the upper surface and light yellowish-green on the bottom surface. |
| Flower Description |
| Yellowish-Brown pollen catkins that range from 2.5 cm to 4 cm long, and seed catkins that range from 1 cm to 2 cm. Comes in pairs of two as it is a monoecious plant. |
| Fruit Description |
| Mature seed catkins range from 2.5 cm to 3.5 cm long, blunt-tipped and drooping, spreading from the dwarf shoots. Nutlets found with a pair of lateral lobes pointing away from the centre lobe. |
| Colour Description |
| Creamy white bark with foliage turning yellow in the autumn. Yellowish-brown catkins and brown nutlets. |
| Texture Description |
| Medium textured tree. |
| Propagation |
| Can be propagated using young cuttings or seeds. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses (Disclaimer) |
| The resinous glands from the Alaska Paper Birch contains Xylitol, which was used like chewing gum in the past. |
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