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Sweet Birch vs Yellow Birch

These two birches can be confused where their ranges overlap, as both have a similar leaf shape, their bark is often similar in color, and both have a wintergreen aroma to their twigs and bark. They can be reliably distinguished by bark texture, or regularity of serrations on leaf margins.

Sweet Birch (Betula lenta)

Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis)

A tree native to eastern North America, mostly from the Appalachians through southern New England.
A large birch native to northeastern North America, named for the often-yellowish color of its bark.
Bark does not flake or peel. Bark completely smooth on young trees; mature trees have vertical cracks in bark.
Photo © Fluff Berger, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Bark flakes off in thin, horizontal, ribbon-like strips. Pattern of flaking relatively consistent across trees of different ages.
Photo © Rob Foster, CC BY 4.0.
Serrations on leaf margins more regular and more dense, usually more than 6 teeth per cm.
Photo © Even Dankowicz, CC BY 4.0.
Serrations on leaf margin more irregular, and sparser, usually fewer than 6 teeth per cm.
Photo © Christian Grenier, Public Domain.
Bark often darker in color, not yellowish, sometimes brownish.
Photo © Laura Gaudette, CC BY 4.0.
Bark often yellowish.
Photo © Ken Kneidel, Public Domain.
Bark always matte or dull, not shiny.
Photo © Ira Gershenhorn, Public Domain.
Bark of young trees often shiny, giving it a metallic appearance.
Photo © Charlie Hohn, CC BY 4.0.
Bark eventually develops scaly texture on very old trees. Smooth, horizontal texture disappears, especially lower down on the trunk.
Photo © awiker92, CC BY 4.0.
Old trees still retain smoother, horizontally-striped bark appearance, even at the base of tree; pattern even evident on large surface roots.
Photo © Reuven Martin, Public Domain.

References & External Resources

These short lists show only links helpful for ID. For a complete list of references and resources also covering other aspects of ecology, visit the links section of the full article on each plant, which is the first entry here.

Sweet Birch (Betula lenta)

Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis)

Betula lenta | Go Botany (About This Site)

Betula alleghaniensis | Go Botany (About This Site)

No corresponding entry

Betula alleghaniensis (Yellow Birch) | Illinois Wildflowers (About This Site)

Sweet Birch | Virginia Tech Dendrology Factsheets (About This Site)

Yellow Birch | Virginia Tech Dendrology Factsheets (About This Site)

Betula lenta | Flora of North America (About This Site)

Betula alleghaniensis | Flora of North America (About This Site)

Betula lenta | Biota of North America Project (BONAP) (About This Site)

Betula alleghaniensis | Biota of North America Project (BONAP) (About This Site)