Hansen's Northwest Native Plant Database

Kingdom Plantae – Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta – Vascular plants

Superdivision Spermatophyta – Seed plants

Division Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants

Class Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons

Subclass Hamamelididae

Order Fagales

Family Betulaceae – Birch family

Genus Betula L. – birch

Species Betula glandulosa Michx. – resin birch

This shrub is similar to the Paper Birch tree, but develops multiple stems and reaches only 6 - 8.’

Bog Birch likes moisture and is found in boggy areas throughout central to northern United States, along the entire Pacific Coast and north across Canada to the Arctic and into Greenland.

It is hardy to USDA zone 2.

In the northernmost stretches of its range it remains stunted at only 6-8.”

Here, in the muskegs of the permafrost, this shrub provides critical habitat and browse for wildlife.

It has tiny, glossy, oval leaves from ¼ - 1” long and twigs with noticeable resin glands (hence the Latin, “glandulosa”).