Also called ◼︎ black birch (although do not confuse with sister-species cherry or sweet birch  Betula lenta, which is also sometimes called that), and ♒︎ water birch.

Part of birch  genus Betula in alder / birch / hazel / hornbeam  family Betulaceae in bayberry / beech / birch / oak / walnut  order Fagales.

Native to 🇺🇸 USA central, Southeast and East.   🗺 Map by county (🇺🇸 USA-48), 🗺 map (North America, Central America).  Adobe Acrobat Reader file

Uses by native peoples
(Ethnobotany database)
  Despite its nickname, the aircraft Spruce Goose was built primarily of birch wood, with small amounts of maple, poplar, balsa, and, yes, spruce.

Betula hosts caterpillars of 413 species
of butterflies and moths, in some areas.
  Planting info (SW Michigan).  Adobe Acrobat Reader file

Learn more about ♒︎ river birch Betula nigra

🔍︎ 🔍︎ images Discover Life Encyclopedia of Life (Minnesota) Wildflower Garden Minnesota Wildflowers Missouri Botanical Garden Native Plant Trust Flora of North America USDA PLANTS db USFS USFS Silvics Wikipedia