sweet birch

noun

: a common aromatic birch (Betula lenta) of eastern North America that has shiny brown bark when young, hard dark-colored wood, and a volatile oil in its bark resembling wintergreen

called also black birch

Examples of sweet birch in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In addition to oaks, other trees that top the list include American plum, black cherry, chokecherry, river birch, sweet birch, bitternut hickory and Eastern white pine. —Jennifer Rude Klett, Journal Sentinel, 8 Sep. 2022

Wintergreen and sweet birch: These contain salicylates (aspirin compounds) and can cause vomiting and stomach ulcers. Cinnamon, anise, and chamomile: These all contain coumarins, compounds that are used in rat poison and blood thinners. —Bonnie Darves, SELF, 28 July 2021

Or register for The Trees of Prospect Park, a virtual journey: Today at 11 a.m., the forest ecologist Howard Goldstein will introduce sites including the Lullwater Cove and the Butterfly Meadow, and species like the Northern red oak and sweet birch. —New York Times, 22 Apr. 2020

Among the essential oils that are toxic to pets are cinnamon, citrus, lemon, pennyroyal, peppermint, pine, sweet birch, tea tree, thyme, wintergreen and ylang ylang. —Kim Campbell Thornton, sacbee, 17 Jan. 2018

Word History

First Known Use

1785, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

sweet birch

noun

: a common birch (Betula lenta) of the eastern United States with spicy brown bark that yields birch oil