Is River Birch A Hardwood Tree

A birch is a thin leaved deciduous hardwood tree of the genus betula ˈ b ɛ tj ʊ l ə in the family betulaceae which also includes alders hazels and hornbeams it is closely related to the beech oak family fagaceae the genus betula contains 30 to 60 known taxa of which 11 are on the iucn 2011 red list of threatened species.

Is river birch a hardwood tree.

While some birches have wood with close grained properties that are valued for furniture and flooring this is not true of river birch. They are a typically rather short lived pioneer species. Its attractive bark is especially striking in the winter when the rest of the tree is bare. It is one of the few heat tolerant birches in a family of mostly cold weather trees which do not thrive in usda zone 6 and up.

The river birch betula nigra thrives along riverbanks and in swampy areas. River birch wood can be used as firewood since it burns very hot and fast. Birch is one of the most widely used woods for veneer and plywood worldwide. Besides regular sheets of plywood birch veneer is also used for doors furniture and paneling.

In the home landscape these trees look great in clumps of 3 5 or 7 trees. However unlike hardwoods birch does not last very long so you will need more of the wood to keep the fire. Propagation methods for river birch from cuttings. Birch leaves are usually oblong with pointed sharp toothed edges.

River birch seeds and leaves. Birch seeds can be eaten by wildlife. Its bark is dark when the tree is young but quickly develops the characteristic bright white bark that peels so readily in thick layers that it. The river birch is a popular tree for river banks and wet parts of the garden.

This tree is also flood tolerant for periods of up to three months long. As the branches grow on the river birch they tend to hang down. Keep reading to learn more river birch tree facts such as river birch tree care and effectively using river birch trees in the landscape of your home. Betula nigra the black birch river birch or water birch is a species of birch native to the eastern united states from new hampshire west to southern minnesota and south to northern florida and west to texas.

Googoo85 wikimedia commons cc by sa 3 0. River birch is a boon if you have thick clay soil it s one of. Paper birch betula papyrifera. River birch which goes by the botanical name of betula nigra has a red colored bark that peels off in thin layers giving the trunk a distinctive appearance.

Nigra commonly occurs in floodplains and swamps. Alaska paper birch betula neoalaskana alder leaf birch betula alnoides downy birch betula pubescens gray birch betula populifolia. The river birch is drought tolerant once it is established although it may lose its leaves early in drought years.