Betula alleghaniensis Betula alleghaniensis Betula alleghaniensis, the yellow birch or golden birch, is a large and important lumber species of birch native to North-eastern North America. Its vernacular names refer to the color of the tree's bark. The name "Betula lutea" was used expansively for this tree but has now been replaced. "Betula alleghaniensis" is the provincial tree of Quebec, where it is commonly called "merisier", a name which in France is used for the wild cherry. It is a medium-sized, typically single stemmed, deciduous tree reaching tall (exceptionally to ) with a trunk typically in diameter. Yellow birch is a relatively
Terminalia sericea to tall. The bark is a reddish or greyish brown colour and peels away in strips. The bluish-green leaves tend to be clustered at the tips of the branches. They are ovate with entire margins and both the upper and lower surfaces are clothed in silvery hairs. The flowers are white and are borne in short axilliary spikes. They have an unpleasant smell and may be pollinated by flies. The fruit are winged nuts containing a single seed and turn a darker pink colour as they ripen. They may remain attached to the branch for a year and are dispersed