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Betula alleghaniensis, the yellow birch, [2] golden birch, [3] or swamp birch, [4] is a large tree and an important lumber species of birch native to northeastern North America. Its vernacular names refer to the golden color of the tree's bark. [5] In the past its scientific name was Betula lutea, the yellow birch.
A Russian birch bark letter from the 14th century Birchbark shoes. Birch bark or birchbark is the bark of several Eurasian and North American birch trees of the genus Betula.. The strong and water-resistant cardboard-like bark can be easily cut, bent, and sewn, which has made it a valuable building, crafting, and writing material, since pre-historic times.
Inonotus obliquus is found most commonly in the Circumboreal Region of the Northern Hemisphere, where it is distributed in birch forests. [4] Generally found growing on birch (Betula spp.) trees, it has also been found on alder (Alnus spp.), beech (Fagus spp.) and poplar (Populus spp.). [10]
Birch is also associated with the feast of Pentecost in Central and Eastern Europe and Siberia, where its branches are used as decoration for churches and homes on this day. [citation needed] Ground birch bark, fermented in sea water, is used for seasoning the woolen, hemp or linen sails and hemp rope of traditional Norwegian boats. [citation ...
The inner bark can be eaten raw as an emergency food. The twigs and inner bark can be steeped to make tea. [3] Black birch was once harvested extensively to produce oil of wintergreen, the tree was borderline endangered until the 1950s-60s when synthetic oil of wintergreen appeared. [citation needed]
Birch bark tar is also one of the components of Vishnevsky liniment. [27] Birch bark tar oil is an effective repellent of gastropods. [28] The repellent effect lasts about two weeks. [28] The repellent effect of birch bark tar oil mixed with petroleum jelly and applied to a fence can last up to several months. [28]
Various types of birch beer made from birch bark are available as well, distinguished by color. The color depends on the species of birch tree from which the birch oil is extracted (though enhancements by artificial coloring are commonly present). Popular colors include brown, red, blue and clear (often called white birch beer), though others ...
It is commonly confused for paper birch (Betula papyrifera) by means of its bark, but it is differentiable as gray birch bark does not exfoliate (peel) as readily as paper birch. It is also occasionally confused for quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides), which has similar bark, but different leaves and buds. [4]