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Questions and Answers: 2017

Question: Does Betula lenta always have a wintergreen smell? We were identifying woody species in a forest with lots of B. …

• Question

  Does Betula lenta always have a wintergreen smell? We were identifying woody species in a forest with lots of B. lenta, but came across many smaller individuals(often with multiple stems of 1-2 cm DBH each) that have characters spot on for B. lenta, but without the smell. Could they be B. alleghaniensis? (Didn't see any large B. alleghaniensis.) The bark is too young to use that for information. I was also thinking that perhaps the smell is less prominent this late in the year? (Oct 18) Thanks!

  Answer

  Dear Alden, both Betula lenta and Betula alleghaniensis produce methyl salicylate (the source of the wintergreen odor). However, I have encountered individuals before with little or no smell later in season (including the winter). While some individuals seems to have a strong smell, others nearby had very little. The plants you are seeing/smelling may well be Betula lenta if they still have the other morphological characteristics.