river birch

American  

noun

1. a tree, Betula nigra, of the eastern U.S., having papery, reddish-brown bark that peels away.

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Etymology

Origin of river birch

First recorded in 1850–55

Example Sentences

Fair Bluff is small-town idyllic, nestled among fields of corn and tobacco near the South Carolina border, shielded from the Lumber River by a narrow bank of tupelo gum, river birch and bald cypress trees.

From New York Times • Sep. 2, 2021

Pine grosbeak typically feed on the seed cones of conifer trees, but may also utilize alders, river birch and Douglas fir.

From Washington Times • Jan. 31, 2015

Trees and plants were brought in: bald cypress, black tupelo, duck potato, river birch, shadbush, sweetbay magnolia and winterberry, among others.

From New York Times • Oct. 3, 2012

"That was about a river birch in our backyard that was dead, even though for two years we were hoping it would come back," Rizzo says with a chuckle.

From Chicago Tribune • Apr. 21, 2011

Grass is even better than pine needles, and tomorrow I am going to try the outside bark of the river birch.

From "My Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George