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
Cunninghamia vegetative propagation for use in forestry plantations. As the tree grows its trunk tends to sucker around the base, particularly following damage to the stem or roots, and it then may grow in a multi-trunked form. Brown bark of mature trees peels off in strips to reveal reddish-brown inner bark. Older specimens often look ragged, as the old needles may cling to stems for up to 5 years. This tree can be mistaken for the rare "Torreya taxifolia", one visible difference being the "Cunninghamia"'s bronze autumn branches which are shed and pile beneath it, as well as the propensity for