Paper Birch
(betula papyrifera)

The bright white, peeling bark of paper birch make this tree one of the easiest in the northwoods to identify. The only tree commonly mistaken for paper birch is quaking aspen, which sometimes has snow white, smooth bark but it does not peel. The trunks are usually straight and are covered with black blotches or lines. As the tree gets older, these blotches expand. The paper birch doesn't get any taller than 30 feet and can often be found growing in clumps with several other birches.

Paper birch leaves are 2-3 inches long and have a rounded leaf base. Leaf margins are serrated or double-serrated. The fine twigs are purplish with many small white spots called lenticles.

Paper birch flowers, called catkins, are about an inch long. They are lightweight and easily crumble if touched. Paper birch is a sun-loving, short-lived tree. It is often one of the first trees to move back into recently burned areas.

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