Gray Birch
Scientific name: Betula populifolia
This native tree is easily distinguished from other birch as its bark does not peel or shed into strips. Dark ‘moustaches’ on the trunk also indicate it is a gray birch. and not a white or paper birch (which grow further in the north) or yellow birch which has golden bark or black birch which has….black bark. Found in the margins of swamps, ponds or any poor soil, it is known as a pioneer species meaning it will be among the first to strike out and colonize a disturbed area that has been logged, burned or otherwise disrupted. While it grows quickly (2-5 feet a year), it is not a long lived tree and frequently bends or breaks. Still… it fulfills its role in the environment by helping to reclaim areas for the other trees and animals that will follow. And its bark and fall color add beauty to our woodlands by way of the contrasts it brings, especially in wintertime.
Leaves
It sports a rounded triangular green leaf, about 2 inches in length. Turns an attractive yellow in the fall.
Fruit
Cone-shaped clusters, 2-3 inches long at the end of branches in autumn.
Flowers
Inconspicuous. Male and female flowers exist on the same tree.
Habitat
Common to areas with both poor and excessive drainage. Commonly grows on dry, disturbed soils. Likes full sun.
Many gray birch can be viewed at the fields at Old Field Preserve.
Leaves
It sports a rounded triangular green leaf, about 2 inches in length. Turns an attractive yellow in the fall.
Bark
While sometimes this is a single stemmed tree, other times it has multiple stems. Its chalky, white, non-peeling bark is very attractive.
Fruit
Cone-shaped clusters, 2-3 inches long at the end of branches in autumn.
Flowers
Inconspicuous. Male and female flowers exist on the same tree.
Similar Species
There are several other species of birch tree found here, including the paper birch, yellow birch (golden bark) and black birch (black bark). The paper birch grows further to the north.
Ecosystem Connections
Goldfinches and other small seed eaters enjoy this tree.
In Winter
Fall Color
Grey Birch Catkin
Lovely in Garden
More on Trees and Shrubs in Lewisboro
Lewisboro was once entirely forested except for patches of open field caused by fire and wetlands and ponds which were expanded by beaver dams. Although it is hard to believe, by 1800 most of Lewisboro’s forests had been cut down and replaced by farms. In 1820 so many trees had been cleared that there was no shade anywhere along the route from Boston to New York.[1] But by the mid-1800’s farming here became uneconomical and as farms were abandoned, the forests began to re-grow. Today, 70% of New York is once again forest, what some call ‘the great environmental story of the United States’[2]. These new forests provide us with beauty and recreation, clean air and water, flood control, erosion prevention, carbon sequestration, cooler temperatures and habitat for other plants, insects, birds and other wildlife.
[1] Cronon, William. Changes in the Land. Macmillan, 1983.
[2] An Explosion of Green. B. Mckibben. Atlantic Monthly 275 (April 1995): 61-83.