Name
Paper Birch
Scientific Name
Betula papyrifera
Wildlife Value
Good
Average height
60'
Origin
Native
Shade Tolerance
Intolerant
Drought Tolerance
Poor
Growth Rate
Mod/Rapid
Fruit
Seed
Special Characteristics
 bark peels in thin papery strips
Seedling Size
12" to 18"
 
General Description
The bark is a bright white, flaking in fine horizontal strips, and often with small black marks and scars. In individuals younger than five years, the bark appears brown with white lenticels, making the tree much harder to distinguish from other trees. Under favorable conditions paper birch can live over a hundred years. The mature fruit is composed of numerous tiny winged seeds packed between the catkin bracts that can spread to new locations with the help of wind. They start to drop in mid-August.  
 
Pests
Birch leaf miner, bronze birch borers, and birch skeletonizer
 
Uses
Betula papyrifera has a soft, yet moderately heavy, white wood. It makes excellent high-yielding firewood if seasoned properly. Its bark is an excellent fire starter, burning at high temperatures even when wet. While paper birch does not have a very high overall economic value, it is used in furniture, flooring, and Oriented Strand Board. The sap is boiled down to produce birch syrup.