Paper Birch Tree

/Home/Garden Basics/Trees/Types of Trees/Birch Trees/Paper Birch Trees

by C. Colston Burrell

Paper birch tree is a popular tree remarkable for its papery white bark. It is found in cooler locations across the continent.
Description of paper birch tree: Generally a medium-size tree, paper birch grows to about 40 feet in height. In good conditions it can reach 75 feet or more. The bark is reddish brown on younger plants, becoming creamy white with dark horizontal lines called lenticels in the third or fourth year. The bark peels back readily, revealing a reddish orange inner bark. Its deciduous leaves are dark green and lightly toothed, becoming golden in the fall. The catkins offer little special interest.

© 1998-2012 HowStuffWorks, Inc