Emily Dickinson Lexicon

BIRCH, n. [burch; Sax. birce; D. berken, or berkeboom; Ger. birke; Dan. birk.]

A genus of trees, the Betula, of which there are several species; as, the white or common birch, the dwarf birch, the Canada birch, of which there are several varieties, and the common black birch. Birch of Jamaica, a species of the Pistacia or turpentine tree. – Fam. of Plants.