Betula populifolia

Betula populifolia is a small tree that reaches heights of 20 to 30 feet (6 to 9 m) with a diameter at breast height (DBH) of 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 cm). The tree is often found with multiple stems. The crown is pyramidal with somewhat drooping branches. The bark is smooth, a grayish-white or chalky color with visible lenticels and black triangular patches located at the base of branches. Like other members of the Betula genus, leaves turn yellow in autumn. The flowers are wind-pollinated catkins 2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 cm) long, the male catkins pendulous and the female catkins erect. The fruit, maturing in autumn, is composed of many tiny winged seeds packed between the catkin bracts. == Distribution and habitat ==

Gray birch can be found in the northeast United States and small portions of Canada. It ranges from southeastern Quebec along the St. Lawrence River east to parts of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, south through New England and upstate New York to Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The tree prefers well-drained, loamy soils, but can also grow in dryer, gravelly soils. They thrive in sunlight since they are a shade intolerant species, but eventually give way to longer lived, more shade tolerant species. In regenerative stands, Betula populifolia are commonly found along other early successional species such as paper birch, quaking aspen, and bigtooth aspen (Populus grandidentata). This is due to birches in North America sharing a coevolutionary relationship with the borer, allowing it to develop resistance to the bug. Despite this, the borers can still damage the trees if they are weakened by other means. Between about 1930 and 1950, many gray birch trees, along with paper birch and yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis), were weakened by birch dieback disease, which allowed for the bronze birch borer to attack and kill the trees. == Uses ==

Wood Products Gray birch wood is soft and easily turned, so it is often made into spools, clothespins, and other turned woodenware. It is most commonly used as firewood. The wood is less sought after than paper birch due to its short lifespan, smaller size, and less common distribution. It also has tendencies to quickly deteriorate when exposed to excess moisture, meaning it has little commercial value beyond turned items and fuel. Landscape Use Gray birches are a commonly used landscape/ornamental tree. It is widely used due to its soil tolerance levels, resistance to bark borers, smaller stature, as well as the bark coloration. Whitespire is a common ornamental cultivar and has whiter bark than the natural form of the tree. Gray birch also can serve as a nurse tree for smaller, more economically valuable pines that require some form of protection to become established. Medicinal Use Prior to the European colonists' arrival to North America, the indigenous Iroquois and Mi'kmaq peoples used the inner bark of gray birch trees to treat infected cuts and wounds. ==References==