Alaska birch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alaska birch |
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| Scientific classification | |
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Betula
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neoalaskana
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Betula neoalaskana (also called B. resinifera), or Alaska birch, is a type of tree found in Alaska and northern Canada. People also call it the Alaska paper birch or resin birch. It is a close relative of other birch trees. This tree is special because it can grow in very cold places.
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Where the Alaska Birch Lives
The Alaska birch grows across most of inland Alaska. You can find it from the southern Brooks Range down to the Chugach Mountains. It also spreads across northern Canada, including the Yukon, Northwest Territories, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and even into northwestern Ontario. This tree can grow in many different places. It lives from wet areas to high ridges, up to about 1,200 meters (about 4,000 feet) high.
What the Alaska Birch Looks Like
This tree usually grows to be about 15 to 20 meters (50 to 65 feet) tall. Sometimes it can reach up to 25 meters (80 feet). Its trunk can be 30 to 50 centimeters (12 to 20 inches) wide. Some very old trees can have trunks wider than 60 centimeters (24 inches).
The bark on older trees can be many colors. It might be pure white, red, yellowish, pinkish, or gray. The bark on young twigs, seedlings, and saplings is usually dark. It can be reddish or almost black. These young parts are also covered with sticky resin spots.
The leaves of the Alaska birch are shaped like a triangle with a rounded bottom. They are about 3 to 8 centimeters (1 to 3 inches) long. They are also 2 to 6 centimeters (about 1 to 2.5 inches) wide. The edges of the leaves have small, double-sawtooth points. The tree also produces catkins, which are like small, hanging flower clusters. These are about 2 to 4 centimeters (1 to 1.5 inches) long.
How the Alaska Birch Survives Cold
The Alaska birch is very tough. It can handle extremely cold weather. This tree can survive temperatures as low as -55 degrees Celsius (-67 degrees Fahrenheit). This helps it live in the cold northern parts of North America.
Family Tree and Hybrids
The Alaska birch is related to other birch trees. It can sometimes mix with other types of birches. For example, it often mixes with the Paper Birch. When they mix, they create a new type of tree called Betula × winteri. It can also mix with the American Dwarf Birch. This mix creates another new type of tree called Betula × uliginosa. This mixing is called hybridizing. It means two different kinds of plants create a new plant together.
See also
In Spanish: Betula neoalaskana para niños
