A Year With the Trees

I write "A Year With the Trees" to bring an awareness to the world about the importance of trees to the future of our planet. Planting and being stewards of trees native to where you live is of vital importance for the health of animals, insects, birds, all life, including our own. I am studying the trees that are native to Southern Appalachia, where I live. This blog illustrates 92 trees and why we need to be responsible to keep native plant communities alive and well.

Monday, January 15, 2018

River Birch - Betula nigra

Betulaceae - Birch Family
"A Year With the Trees" Tree 15
River Birch
Betula nigra

Winter

The River Birch has most distinctive bark. The bark peels like paper with colors of tan and white and brown all showing through the peelings. Sit under a River Birch Tree on a winter's day and look how the bark peels create such interesting textures and colors.

Spring


This River Birch lives at the Asheville Botanical Gardens. www.ashevillebotanicalgardens.org The new spring leaves are shown in this image. This beauty always amazes me.

Summer

The River Birch is such a beautiful tree with leaves and bark are very distinctive. See the arrow shaped leaf that is doubly toothed and the peeling reddish brown bark?