BLACK BIRCH
Betula lenta, L.
Form.—Height 50-85 feet, diameter 2-4 feet; trunk long and clear in dense growths; crown narrow and open.
Leaves.—Alternate in pairs, simple, 3-4 inches long; ovate to oblong, taper pointed, doubly serrate, dull dark green above, paler beneath; petioles short, hairy, grooved above.
Flowers.—April, before the leaves; monoecious; the staminate in pendent yellowish catkins; the pistillate in shorter erect catkins.
Fruit.—An oblong, cone-shaped strobile, 1-1½ inches long, erect, 3-lobed scales smooth; nutlets small, winged.
Bark.—Very dark and broken into thick, irregular ridges and plates; the young and inside bark having a sweet, wintergreen taste.
Wood.—Heavy, hard, close-grained, dark reddish brown, with light sapwood.
Range.—Newfoundland to Illinois, Tennessee and Florida.
Distribution in West Virginia.—Scattered locally through nearly all parts of West Virginia.
Habitat.—Grows in a variety of soils and exposures, but prefers rich moist woodlands.
Notes.—Black Birch is a widely-known tree and is highly valued on account of its wood. The local names, Red Birch and Cherry Birch refer to the appearance of the heartwood and the bark, and Sweet Birch to the flavor of the bark. This tree can be distinguished from Yellow Birch, which it most closely resembles, by its darker-colored bark which does not peel off in loose flakes.