Vascular Plants of North Carolina
Account for Gray Birch - Betula populifolia   Marshall
Members of Betulaceae:
Members of Betula with account distribution info or public map:
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Section 6 » Order Fagales » Family Betulaceae
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AuthorMarshall
DistributionMountains; disjunct to Warren County. The species could possibly be native in the northern Mountains, as it is a montane species in much of its range, but Weakley (2020) and the website editors do feel that it should be considered as not native in NC, as least for the time being.

Native of the Northeastern U.S. and southeastern Canada, south to northern VA and northern IL. Non-native records in NC, SC.
AbundanceRare.
HabitatRoadsides, disturbed woodlands, hillside woods, fencerow.
PhenologyFlowering May-June.
IdentificationWhen mature, Gray Birch has bark that is grayish white or dull white, with much black where branches attach. Leaves are triangular, margins serrate, the tip elongate-tapered. It is very similar to Silver Birch (B. pendula), a Eurasian species, which has whiter bark and leaves that are far less acuminate at the tip.
Taxonomic Comments
Other Common Name(s)
State RankSE
Global RankG5
State Status
US Status
USACE-agcpFAC link
USACE-empFAC link
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photographercommentsphoto_linkcountyobsType
B.A. SorrieSame data. Leaf tips longer than usual. Photo_non_NCPhoto_non_NC
B.A. SorrieNortheast PA, disturbed hillside, Aug 2014. Photo_non_NCPhoto_non_NC
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