Cherry Birch (Betula lenta)

Family: Betulaceae | Edibility: Edible (3/5)

Bloom Color: Brown. Main Bloom Time: Early spring, Late spring, Mid spring. Form: Oval, Upright or erect.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Sap/Syrup, Bark/Inner Bark

Harvest Seasons: Early Summer, Fall, Spring, Winter

Flavor & Culinary Uses

Sweet and spicy. — Inner bark - cooked or dried and ground into a powder.; The dried inner bark can be used as a thickener in soups etc or can be added to flour when making bread 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.; Sap - raw or cooked.

Habitat & North American Range

Rich woodlands, preferring north-facing slopes and moist soils. It is also found on rocky soils. (Zone 3, Zone 4, Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7)