Heart-leaved Birch

Appearance

''Betula cordifolia'' is a deciduous tree that reaches heights of about 25 m and a trunk diameter of about 70 cm. Mature bark is white or bronze-white, peeling in thin layers. The inner surface of the bark is copper-coloured and the young bark is shiny brown with pale brown lenticels. The leaves are alternate, ovate, 6–12 cm long, and double-toothed. As the specific epithet suggests, the leaf base is generally cordate, however, this can be misleading as it is occasionally flat or rounded. The leaves are dotted with many resin glands and the buds are ovoid and blunt. The twigs are yellow-brown to dark-brown and are dotted with resin glands and gray lenticels. They lack the hairs found on ''Betula papyrifera''. The flowers are catkins, with pollen catkins 2–4 cm long and seed catkins 1–2 cm long. The seed catkins mature to about 3–5 cm long and bear winged nutlets about 2–3 mm long.

Naming

Heart-leaved Birch is not only similar to the more familiar Paper Birch (Betula papyrifera), until recently many (if not most) references have treated it as a variety of that species (var. cordifolia).

Distribution

''Betula cordifolia'' is found in Atlantic Canada, Quebec, northwestern Ontario, Northern New York State, and New England. It is generally found in northern habitats or high elevations, particularly on moist ground.

Habitat

Part shade, sun; moist; rocky slopes, hardwood forest.