Paper Birch, Betula papyrifera

Paper Birch is also known as American White Birch and Canoe Birch it is from a species of birch native to northern North America.
It is a medium-sized deciduous tree that reaches 20m tall (exceptionally to 35m) with a trunk up to 80cm in diameter.

The bark is commonly bright white colour that flakes in fine horizontal strips and often with small black marks and scars. In trees younger than five years the bark appears brown with white lenticels this makes the tree much harder to distinguish from other trees.

The leaves are alternate ovate, 5-12cm long and 4-9cm broad the buds are conical and small and are green in colour with brown edges.

The flowers are wind-pollinated catkins 3-8cm long growing from the tips of twigs. The fruit matures in the fall and is composed of numerous tiny winged seeds packed between the catkin bracts that drop between September and spring.

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