Betula lenta
Sweet Birch
Please register or login to build your personal plant list.Sweet Birch is a large deciduous tree with reddish-brown to reddish-black bark. The cherry-like bark is smooth on young trees and scaly on mature...
Description:
Sweet Birch is a large deciduous tree with reddish-brown to reddish-black bark. The cherry-like bark is smooth on young trees and scaly on mature ones. The catkins (elongated, drooping clusters of tiny flowers without petals) appear just before the leaves emerge. The leaves turn golden-yellow in the fall. The seeds are a food source for a variety of birds. Sweet Birch is a host tree for butterfly and moth larvae (caterpillar), including Green Comma (Polygonia faunus). Crushed twigs have a wintergreen-like odor. Birch oil from this tree was once used to flavor candy and medicine, and the sap was used to make birch beer. This tree does well in areas where the soil is shaded, cool, and moist. Trees planted in full sun should be mulched and watered during periods of drought. Give this tree plenty of room to grow! Use Sweet Birch as a canopy tree in woodland gardens, or as a shade tree in moist areas of a large yard or park.
Plant Details:
Other Common Names: Black Birch, Cherry Birch
Plant Type: Tree
New Jersey Native: Yes
Bloom Times: Spring
Bloom Colors: Yellow
Deer Resistance: High
Attracts Pollinators and Wildlife: Butterflies, Birds
Salt Tolerance: Low to None
Hardiness Zone: 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
Physiographic Region: All Regions in NJ
Grows in Special Ecoregions: Pinelands
Soil Characteristics
Soil Type: Loam, Organic, Sandy, Clay
Soil Moisture: Dry
Soil pH: Acidic, Slightly Acidic
Light Needs of Plant
Optimal Light: Full Sun
Light Range: Full Sun, Partial Shade
Water Needs of Plant
Soil Moisture: Dry
Drought Tolerance: Low
Size and Growth Rate
Height: 50 - 75 ft
Spread: 35 - 45 ft
Growth Rate: Medium