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Sweet Birch
Betula lenta
Mid sized tree, this is a tricky species to identify because it does not have the expected paper-y looking bark. In young trees, the bark is smooth and glossy with dark, short, horizontal lines. Mature bark is rougher and forms geometric looking scales. Twigs of the sweet birch are very aromatic- resembling the scent of wintergreen
Leaves: Ovular with a pointed tip. Edges are finely toothed and side veins are parallel to each other. Top is shiny and dark green, underside is much lighter with very fine hairs on the veins.
*note: Leaves closely resemble that of the eastern hophornbeam- be careful to observe the entire tree when identifying
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