Betula lutea
Yellow Birch
Family |
Betulaceae |
Genus |
Betula |
Species |
lutea |
Category |
Woody |
Type |
Tree (deciduous) |
Pronunciation |
USDA Hardiness Zone |
4 |
Canadian Hardiness Zone |
2 - 5a |
RHS Hardiness Zone |
H7 |
Temperature (°C) |
-35 - (-29) |
Temperature (°F) |
-30 - (-20) |
Height |
20-35 m |
Spread |
2-5 m |
General Description |
It is a medium sized tree with bronze/yellow bark. The leaves are a dull green with a yellow underside. It develops a catkin which contains numerous white winged seeds. |
Landscape |
Rarely seen in cultivation, and rare in the wild where odd trees may be seen growing in mixed hardwood forests. |
Shape |
Develops a broad, round crown. |
Growth |
Medium |
ID Characteristic |
It has a bronze/yellow bark that turns reddish. The underside of the leaves have a tinge of yellow to them. |
Pests |
Leaf miner |
Habitat |
Seen where there is a cool moist soil and where there are scattered trees. |
Bark/Stem Description |
It has a bronze/yellow bark. It's bark then later turns a red/brown and becomes very rigid. Not as appealing as the paper birch. |
Flower/Leaf Bud Description |
They are imbricate and usually are appressed and slightly hairy. These are 1-2 cm in size. |
Leaf Description |
They are a simple leaves alternately arranged and are doubly serrate. They are ovate to linear ovate, to about 7.5-12.5 cm in length with a rounded base. |
Flower Description |
It develops a catkin that is full of tiny white winged seeds. These catkins are 2-4 cm long by 1.5 cm thick. They are usually brown in colour. |
Fruit Description |
Catkins grow 2-4 cm long, they are thick and erect, short stalked or subsessile, usually brown in colour. |
Colour Description |
The tree has dull green leaves with a yellow underside. The leaves turn yellow in the autumn. The bark is a yellow/bronze and turns to a brown/red that is slightly rigid at maturity. |
Texture Description |
It has a medium texture. |
Notable Specimens |
Medway Valley, London, Ontario, Canada. |