Betula nigra
(River Birch)
Usually 30′ to 50′ but can grow to 90′.
Leaves: deciduous, simple, alternate, 1 to 3″ in length, thick and tough in texture, bright green with whitish underside, toothed edges, yellow leaves in fall.
Flowers: bloom in early spring, male and female catkins on same tree.
Fruit: winged nutlets 1/8″ length, ripen April-June.
Twigs: smooth and shiny, dark red, and slender.
Bark: pale brown to reddish brown, peels to expose the salmon pink bark underneath when young, thicker to silvery gray with shaggy papery strips on old trees.
Comments: Fast growing tree very helpful tree for erosion prone areas, prefers moist soils and somewhat short lived.