Practical
Plants

Betula nigra

River Birch

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Betula genus in the family Betulaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Betula
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
vigorous
Height
20 m
Fertility
Wind
Flower type
monoecious
Pollinators
Wind

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Sap - raw or cooked[26]. A sweet flavour[24]. Harvested in early spring, before the leaves unfurl. The trunk is tapped by drilling a hole about 6mm wide and about 4cm deep. The sap flows best on warm sunny days following a hard frost. It makes a refreshing drink[28][29] and can also be concentrated into a syrup or sugar[25]. The sap can be fermented to make birch beer or vinegar[25]. An old English recipe for the beer is as follows:- \"To every Gallon of Birch-water put a quart of Honey, well stirr'd together; then boil it almost an hour with a few Cloves, and a little Limon-peel, keeping it well scumm'd. When it is sufficiently boil'd, and become cold, add to it three or four Spoonfuls of good Ale to make it work...and when the Test begins to settle, bottle it up... it is gentle, and very harmless in operation within the body, and exceedingly sharpens the Appetite, being drunk ante pastum.\"[27].

Plant part
Sap
Product or use
Sweetener

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

A salve was made by boiling the buds until they were thick and pasty, sulphur was added and this was then applied externally to skin sores and ringworm[9]. The leaves have been chewed, or used as an infusion, in the treatment of dysentery[12]. An infusion of the bark has been used to treat stomach problems, 'milky' urine and difficult urination with discharge[12].

Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Salve
Product or use
Stomachic

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Young branches are used to make besoms, whisks etc[18]. This species has an extensive root system and is sometimes planted for erosion control along the banks of streams[10]. Wood - light, strong, close grained and hard, but it contains many knots because of the numerous branches along the trunk. It weighs 36lb per cubic foot. Of little use commercially, though it is sometimes used for furniture, turnery etc[15][19][22][10][11].

Product or use
Besom
Product or use
Wood

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Canopy, Secondary canopy

Environment

Range
Eastern N. America - New Hampshire to Florida.
Habitat
Banks of streams, by swamps etc, in deep rich soil that is often inundated for weeks at a time[14].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 4+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay, heavy clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a light position in a cold frame[20][21][2][3]. Only just cover the seed and place the pot in a sunny position[20][21][3]. Spring sown seed should be surface sown in a sunny position in a cold frame[2][3]. If the germination is poor, raising the temperature by covering the seed with glass can help[3]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. If you have sufficient seed, it can be sown in an outdoor seedbed, either as soon as it is ripe or in the early spring - do not cover the spring sown seed. Grow the plants on in the seedbed for 2 years before planting them out into their permanent positions in the winter[20][21][2][3].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds in a well-drained loamy soil in a sheltered position11, 43, 200]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Likes its roots within reach of water[1]. Dislikes wet soils according to another report[8]. Shade tolerant[8]. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[16]. A good plant to grow near the compost heap, aiding the fermentation process[7]. Trees are notably susceptible to honey fungus[8].

References

  1. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩

  2. Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009

    ↩1↩2↩3

  3. Rice. G. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 2. Thompson and Morgan. 1988-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  4. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

  5. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

  6. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

  7. Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening. Garden Way, Vermont, USA. 1978-00-00 ISBN 0-88266-064-0

    ↩

  8. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3

  9. Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980-00-00 ISBN 0-449-90589-6

    ↩

  10. Vines. R.A. Trees of North Texas University of Texas Press. 1982-00-00 ISBN 0292780206

    ↩1↩2

  11. Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980-00-00 ISBN 0442238622

    ↩

  12. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2

  13. Duke. J. Handbook of Energy Crops - 1983-00-00

  14. Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00

    ↩

  15. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩

  16. ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press 1964-00-00

    ↩

  17. Harris. B. C. Eat the Weeds. Pivot Health 1973-00-00

  18. Mabey. R. Plants with a Purpose. Fontana 1979-00-00 ISBN 0-00-635555-2

    ↩

  19. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

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  20. Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

  21. McMillan-Browse. P. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. Grower Books 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-901361-21-6

    ↩1↩2↩3

  22. Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20278-X

    ↩

  23. Saunders. C. F. Edible and Useful Wild Plants of the United States and Canada. Dover Publications 1976-00-00 ISBN 0-486-23310-3

  24. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books ISBN 3874292169 (32202/01/01)

    ↩

  25. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications ISBN 0-9628087-0-9 (32202/01/01)

    ↩1↩2

  26. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications ISBN 0-486-20459-6 (32202/01/01)

    ↩

  27. Duke. J. Handbook of Energy Crops - (32202/01/01)

    ↩

  28. Harris. B. C. Eat the Weeds. Pivot Health (32202/01/01)

    ↩

  29. Saunders. C. F. Edible and Useful Wild Plants of the United States and Canada. Dover Publications ISBN 0-486-23310-3 (32202/01/01)

    ↩

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