river birch

river birch
a tree, Betula nigra, of the eastern U.S., having papery, reddish-brown bark that peels away. Also called red birch.
[1850-55]

* * *

tree
(Betula nigra),also called  Red Birch, or Water Birch,  

      ornamental tree of the family Betulaceae, found on river and stream banks in the eastern one-third of the United States. Because the lower trunk becomes very dark with age, the tree is sometimes called black birch, a name more properly applied to sweet birch (q.v.).

      Commonly 18 to 25 m (60 to 80 feet) tall, river birch may reach 30 m in the lower Mississippi River valley. The red-brown, deeply furrowed bark on an old trunk breaks into ragged, closely appressed scales; the upper trunk and branches are smooth, salmon pink to rose cinnamon, with a metallic lustre. The glossy, dark green, wedge-shaped leaves are unevenly double-toothed, with hairy veins below. The hairy, flattened leafstalks are about 1 cm (0.4 inch) long. The tree's fruits mature in late spring or early summer, in contrast to the fall ripening of other birches. The fast-growing river birch has value in erosion control and as an ornamental and street tree. It grows well on moist, well-drained soil but does not tolerate shade. It is fairly immune to disease or insect attack but is short-lived. The wood is used for furniture, woodenware, and turned articles.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • river birch — juodasis beržas statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Beržinių šeimos dekoratyvinis, medieninis augalas (Betula nigra), paplitęs Šiaurės Amerikoje. atitikmenys: lot. Betula nigra angl. black birch; red birch; river birch vok. Fluss Birke; Rot… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • river birch — noun birch of swamps and river bottoms throughout the eastern United States having reddish brown bark • Syn: ↑black birch, ↑red birch, ↑Betula nigra • Hypernyms: ↑birch, ↑birch tree • Member Holonyms: ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • Birch Creek — can mean:treams;United States *Birch Creek (Alaska), a tributary of the Yukon River at Circle, Alaska *Birch Creek (Idaho), a tributary of the Snake River *Birch Creek (Montana), a tributary of the Two Medicine River *Birch Creek (Texas), a… …   Wikipedia

  • River Farm — (25 acres) is an historic landscape with gardens located at 7931 East Boulevard Drive, Alexandria, Virginia. It was owned by George Washington from 1760 until his death in 1799, and is now the American Horticultural Society (AHS) headquarters .… …   Wikipedia

  • Birch — Taxobox name = Birch image width = 240px image caption = Silver Birch regnum = Plantae divisio = Magnoliophyta classis = Magnoliopsida ordo = Fagales familia = Betulaceae genus = Betula genus authority = L. subdivision ranks = Species subdivision …   Wikipedia

  • birch — /berrch/, n. 1. any tree or shrub of the genus Betula, comprising species with a smooth, laminated outer bark and close grained wood. Cf. birch family. 2. the wood itself. 3. a birch rod, or a bundle of birch twigs, used esp. for whipping. adj. 4 …   Universalium

  • birch tree — noun any betulaceous tree or shrub of the genus Betula having a thin peeling bark • Syn: ↑birch • Hypernyms: ↑tree • Hyponyms: ↑yellow birch, ↑Betula alleghaniensis, ↑Betula leutea, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • Birch Creek — Birch CreekVorlage:Infobox Fluss/GKZ fehlt Lage Alaska Flusssystem YukonVorlage:Infobox Fluss/FLUSSSYSTEM falsch Vorlage:Infobox Fluss/ABFLUSSWEG fehlt Quel …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Birch Lake — ist der Name mehrerer Seen in den Vereinigten Staaten: Birch Lake (Anchorage, Alaska) Birch Lake (Fairbanks North Star Borough, Big Delta, Alaska) Birch Lake (Fairbanks North Star Borough, Fairbanks, Alaska) Birch Lake (Kenai Peninsula Borough,… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Birch River — may refer to:*Birch River (Canada) *Birch River (Maine) *Birch River (West Virginia) **Birch River, West Virginia, a town located on the river …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”