Yellow Birch

Betula lutea (alleghaniensis), Yellow birch

Yellow birch leaves

Yellow birch, also called river golden birch or swamp birch has alternate, simple, toothed leaves (pictured above). It has characteristic shiny yellow bark with thin horizontal strips (pictured below).

Yellow birch bark

Oil of wintergreen occurs in sap and leaves of yellow birch which can be used as pesticides, fragrance ingredients and flavoring. (Petrides, George A. 1972, Trees and Shrubs of Northeast and North Central US and Southeast and South Central Canada (Peterson Field Guide). Houghton Miflin, 234 pp.)

Yellow birch full picture

According to Illinois Wildflowers the wood of yellow birch has been used to make furniture, cabinetry, interior finish, paper pulp, boxes, charcoal, tool handles, toothpicks, wooden doors, and carved wooden items.