This tree grows in northern and central regions of North America. Its range extends down through the Appalachian mountains into a few southern states. When you can identify it, please leave a comment below with the common and scientific names — along with any personal story you may have about this tree.
Leaves in spring
Leaves in summer
Sap smells like wintergreen.
Fruits
Leaves in fall
Trunk of sapling
Trunk of young tree
Trunk of middle-aged tree
ANSWER (subsequently added to this post to facilitate the “search” function for these images): Yellow birch (Betula alleghanienis)
Alnus serrulata, tag alder
Yellow birch, Betula alleghaniensis!
Hi Angelyn,
the mystery plant looks like a species of Birch, Betula sp?
Tony Ward is correct: it is Yellow Birch, Betula alleghaniensis.
Hi Mike! I remember you from the wildfoods wknd last yr,.. nice to see you here, too!
In NH we call it paper or white birch. It’s really great for starting camp fires or wood stoves. I have even used the bark from dead trees for making a roof on a shelter to repel rain.
Oops forgot Betula alleghaniensis.
Yes, indeed, this is Yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis). My favorite part of this tree — and the clincher when it came to identifying it — was the fragrance of wintergreen emitted by the scratched twig.
Thanks, Tim, for sharing how you used the gifts from this tree.