Maryland Native Keystone Plants

Betula lenta – Sweet Birch

Growing Information

Best grown in rich, evenly moist, acidic, well-draining soils in full sun to part shade. Avoid pruning in spring when the sap is flowing. Best for climates with cool summers and on north or east facing slopes. Tolerant of clay soils and shallow, rocky soils. Intolerant of heavily compacted soils and urban conditions. Betula lenta, commonly called sweet birch, cherry birch, or black birch, is a medium to large, deciduous tree native to moist, cool, forested slopes as well as rockier, more exposed areas from the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada to the southern extent of the Appalachian Mountains.

Habit

Mature trees will reach up to 75′ tall in the wild, but are more likely to only reach 40-50′ tall in cultivation with a 35-40′ spread. Young trees have a dense, pyramidal growth habit which opens up and becomes more rounded with age. Bark of young trees is smooth and brown to nearly black with horizontal lenticles. As the tree ages the bark becomes more grey and furrowed with irregular, scaly plates that do not peel. Ovate foliage has finely toothed margins and will reach 2.5-6″ long and 1.5-3.5″ wide. Exhibits excellent, bright yellow fall color. Twigs, bark, and foliage of this plant have a strong wintergreen odor when crushed.

Birches are monoecious, meaning female and male flowers on the same tree. Pendulous, male catkins are held on the twig ends through winter before elongating to 3″ long during their early spring bloom. Upright, 1″ long female catkins bloom from early to mid spring and mature to form cone-like structures that persist into winter. Fruits are small, winged nutlets that disperse in fall and are eaten by birds and small mammals. Specific epithet lenta means “tough” or “pliable”, in reference to the flexible yet strong twigs of this species.

What makes this a Keystone Plant?

284 Lepidoptera species use Betula species as a host plant.

Many lepidoptera use this tree as a host plant including the mourning cloak, dreamy duskywing, green comma, white admiral butterflies, and the cecropia silk moth. Besides caterpillars, other wildlife use this tree for habitat and food. Birds including turkeys, Tufted Titmouse, Goldfinches, Dark Eyed Junco, and Blue Jays enjoy the seeds. Deer eat the seeds and help disperse them, plus Yellow-bellied Sapsucker use the tree for sap, cover, and nesting sites.

NWF List of Keystone Natives to the Eastern Temperate Forest Region

Plant Information

Common Name: Sweet Birch

Type: Tree

Family: Betulaceae

Height: 40.00 to 75.00 feet

Spread: 35.00 to 40.00 feet

Bloom Time: April to May

Bloom Description: Green to pale yellow catkins

Sun: Full sun to part shade

Water: Medium

Maintenance: Medium

Suggested Use: Shade Tree, Naturalize

Flower: Insignificant

Leaf: Fragrant, Good Fall

Other: Winter Interest

Tolerate: Clay Soil, Shallow-Rocky Soil

(Information from Missouri Botanical & Illinois Wildflowers)