BETULACEAE - - Birch Family

Betula nigra Linnaeus — River Birch

River Birch (Betula nigra) is medium sized, essentially southern tree and the only birch at low elevations in the south. The leaves are rhombic-ovate and deeply doubly serrate, base truncate to widely cuneate; the cone scales and nutlets are hairy and, in contrast to those of the other native birches, mature in the late spring; salmon-pink may be used to describe the color of the papery bark which on old trees becomes reddish brown and roughened.

Habitat:

This tree, as the name implies, is found along riverbanks, streambanks, floodplains, sandbars, and disturbed uplands.

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 nigra (River 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 nigra (River 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/.