Paper Birch
 

Mature Size, Growth, Longevity

Average mature size 50-60' tall and 25-40' wide. May reach 90-120' tall in optimal conditions. Loosely pyramidal in youth, developing an irregular, oval to rounded crown. Can be single or multi-stemmed. Medium to fastgrowth rate. Genetic longevity to 150-200 years in nature under ideal conditions. Much shorter lived in landscape conditions.

Native Range

U.S. Native — Native to Greenland, Labrador to British Columbia, Alaska and Washington, South to Pennsylvania, Michigan, Nebraska and Montana. Most widely East-West distributed of all North American birches. Introduced 1750.

Flower and Fruit Details

Male catkins brown, clustered in 2s or 3s exposed through winter, elongate to 2-4" long in early spring. Female catkins greenish, erect, 1-1.25" long, emerge in early spring. Neither are ornamentally significant. Fruits are small nutlets, born on a 1-1.5" long, pendulous catkin.

Leaf and Bark Features

Leaves are simple, alternately arranged, 2-4" long and 2.5" wide, rounded or sometimes wedge shaped. Glabrous and dark to medium green above, pubescent on veins beneath. Good yellow fall color. Bark color on young stems mahogany, reddish-brown, changing to white on older branches and trunk, exfoliating or semi-exfoliating depending on cultivar.

Culture and Care

Tolerates a wide variety of soils but best on moist, well-drained, acid, sandy or silty loams. Full sun. Not very tolerant of high pH. Best adapted to colder climates - heat and drought induces susceptibility to insects and diseases. Zones 2-6(7). Very high resistance to Bronze Birch Borer and excellent drought tolerance. Highly resistant to leafhopper. Some resistance to leaf miner.

Strengths, Weaknesses, Other Facts

Good wildlife value. 4-season interest: Paper birch is an important source of food for birds. The redpoll, pine siskin, and chickadee feed on seeds; the ruffed grouse eats male catkins and buds. Cut sections of large branches with the white exfoliating bark are often used in decorations.

Suggested Uses

Use as specimen tree or in groupings. Good in large areas. White bark

Taxa and Plants of this Species at BCA