BETULACEAE - - Birch Family

Betula lenta Linnaeus — Sweet Birch

Sweet Birch (Betula lenta var. lenta) is a medium-sized forest tree, 50 to 80 ft. high and 1 to 5 ft. in diameter; leaves alternate (on spur shoots appearing whorled or opposite) , simple 2 1/2 to 5 in. long, 1 1/2 to 3 in. wide, ovate to oblong-ovate, sharply singly serrate or inconspicuously doubly serrate, more heart-shaped at the base than those of Yellow Birch; flowers male and female borne in separate catkins on the same tree; fruit a minute winged nutlet (seed) borne in large numbers in an oblong-ovoid cone whose scales fall tardily from the axis at maturity; cone, upright, about 1 1/2 in. long; bark dark gray, smooth, eventually scaly plated, surface marked by numerous horizontal lenticels. Once the primary source of methyl salicylate (wintergreen flavoring), used in medicines and confections; it is now produced synthetically.

Habitat:

Forests at low to high elevations; common (uncommon in Piedmont). This species is generally restricted elevationally in North Carolina to medium elevations and lower, but in VA it reaches higher elevations, where it can be as common as B. alleghaniensis.

Habitat information from:
Weakley, Alan S., Flora of the Southern and Mid-Atlantic States, Working Draft of 21 May 2015.

The native range of Betula lenta (Sweet Birch)

Kartesz, J.T., The Biota of North America Program (BONAP). 2015. North American Plant Atlas. (http://bonap.net/napa). Chapel Hill, N.C. [maps generated from Kartesz, J.T. 2015. Floristic Synthesis of North America, Version 1.0. Biota of North America Program (BONAP). (in press)].

The Georgia range of Betula lenta (Sweet Birch)

Zomlefer, W.B., J.R. Carter, & D.E. Giannasi. 2014 (and ongoing). The Atlas of Georgia Plants. University of Georgia Herbarium (Athens, Georgia) and Valdosta State University Herbarium (Valdosta, Georgia). Available at: http://www.georgiaherbaria.org/.