Water Birch

Betula occidentalis

Physical Characteristics

Betula occidentalis is a deciduous Tree growing to 8 m (26ft 3in) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 4. The species is monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and is pollinated by Wind. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in heavy clay and nutritionally poor soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.

Distribution

Western and Central N. America.

Habitats

Woodland Garden Secondary;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Flowers Inner bark Leaves Sap Edible Uses: Condiment Young leaves and catkins - raw[172]. The buds and twigs are used as a flavouring in stews[172]. Inner bark - raw or cooked. Best in the spring[172]. Inner bark can be dried, ground into a meal and used as a thickener in soups, or be added to flour when making bread, biscuits etc. Inner bark is generally only seen as a famine food, used when other forms of starch are not available or are in short supply[K]. Sap - raw or cooked[172]. The sap can be used as a refreshing drink or beer, it can also be concentrated into a syrup by boiling off much of the water[K]. Harvested in spring, the flow is best on a sunny day following a frost. An old English recipe for the beer is as follows:- "To every Gallon of Birch-water put a quart of Honey, well stirr'd together; then boil it almost an hour with a few Cloves, and a little Limon-peel, keeping it well scumm'd. When it is sufficiently boil'd, and become cold, add to it three or four Spoonfuls of good Ale to make it work...and when the Test begins to settle, bottle it up . . . it is gentle, and very harmless in operation within the body, and exceedingly sharpens the Appetite, being drunk ante pastum."[269]. Primary food use is the sap, boiled to a richly caramel birch syrup or reduced to a sweet beverage; leaf/bud/twig teas are pleasant; male catkins are mild and chewable; inner bark can be dried and ground to flour in emergencies. Edibility rating: (3/5) — sap and tea are genuinely worthwhile; catkins are decent; inner bark is survival food only. Taste, Processing & Kitchen Notes: Sap is ~1% sugar (˜99% water) and very clean-tasting. Reduce ~1/70 to achieve syrup; reduce ~1/4 for a lightly sweet, mineral-rich “birch drink.” Finished syrup tastes of light caramel/toffee without resinous or medicinal overtones. Collect in glass, ceramic, wood or food-grade plastic—avoid metal (off-flavors) [2-3]. Catkins (male) are mild, nutty-vegetal, fully chewable, and better than leaves for a quick trail nibble. Leaf/bud/twig tea is green-herbal with a soft woodland note, free of bitterness or soapiness; twigs deepen the cup. Inner bark (phloem) dries to a coarse, fibrous flour with mild taste but low digestibility; if used, blend into porridges rather than breads[2-3]. Seasonality (Phenology): Sap flow begins late winter to early spring, often a 2–4 week window that wanes with leaf-out. Male catkins form late summer, overwinter, and pollen-shed just before or with leaf expansion (March–May). Fruits ripen early summer and shatter soon after. Foliage colors yellow in autumn; stems are showy in winter. Harvest & Processing Workflow: Sap: Tap late winter before budbreak. Use a sanitized 9–10 mm (? in) bit at a slight upward angle, 3–4 cm (1¼ in) into sapwood; one tap per stem =20–25 cm (8–10 in) DBH. Hang food-safe line to a covered non-metal container. Expect ~1–3 L per day in good flow. Filter, refrigerate immediately, and boil outdoors (vigorous steam) to avoid indoor humidity. Reduce to 66° Brix for finished syrup; store cold. Catkins: Collect male catkins as they elongate pre-pollen for eating, or post-shed for drying/tea. Tea: Clip a small handful of young leaves/buds/twigs; steep hot, not boiling water 5–10 minutes; strain. Inner bark: If ever used, take from windfall or prunings only; peel thin phloem strips, dry, and powder; fold into porridges. Look-Alikes & Confusion Risks: Alders (Alnus spp.) are the classic confusion: alders retain woody cone-like strobili year-round and fix nitrogen; birch fruiting catkins are papery and fall apart. Ornamentals like river birch (B. nigra) exfoliate dramatically; paper birch (B. papyrifera) has white peeling bark—both unlike most B. occidentalis stands. Scraping a twig: no strong wintergreen scent here (contrasts with B. lenta back East). Traditional / Indigenous Use Summary: Across northern woodlands and into the Rockies, birches supplied sap beverages/syrups, bark for containers and fire-starting, and medicinal teas from twigs and leaves. In the Intermountain West, water birch thickets also served as construction and weaving material, browse, and streambank medicine—cooling shade, clean water, and habitat. Foodwise, sap was the valued seasonal sugar; inner bark was famine food.

Medicinal Uses

Abortifacient Antirheumatic Antiseborrheic Astringent Lithontripic Salve Sedative Urinary The bark is antirheumatic, astringent, lithontripic, salve and sedative[172]. A decoction of the flowers and leaves has been used as an abortifacient[257]. The German Commission E Monographs, a therapeutic guide to herbal medicine, approve Betula species for infections of the urinary tract, kidney and bladder stones, rheumatism (see [302] for critics of commission E).

Known Hazards

The aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons in birch tar are irritating to the skin. Do not use in patients with oedema or with poor kidney or heart functions [301]