Betula alleghaniensis, also known as Yellow Birch or Golden Birch, is a large and important lumber species of birch native to Northeastern North America. The bark of this tree is waterproof and has been used as the outer skin of canoes by native peoples. The wood of Yellow Birch is extensively used for cabinetry, flooring, furniture, doors, veneer, gun stocks and toothpicks. This hardwood timber tree is considered the most important species of birch for lumber. The wood of Yellow Birch is relatively strong, close grained, and heavy. Its color varies from reddish-brown to creamy-white and can be polished to a high finish. The papery, shredded bark is very flammable and can be peeled off to use as a firestarter even in wet conditions. The sap of Yellow Birch can be tapped to make syrup, similar to sugar maple, and the wintergreen flavor evaporates when the sap is boiled down, leaving a syrup much like maple syrup. Tea can also be made from the twigs and inner bark. The tree is also known for its shiny yellow-bronze bark that flakes and peels in fine horizontal strips, and when the twigs are scraped they have a slight scent of wintergreen oil. Yellow Birch likes cooler, moist environments and is found on north-facing slopes, swamps, stream banks, and rich woods. It grows best in soil with a pH ranging from 4-8 and grows in USDA zones 3-7.
