WESTERN PAPER BIRCH
(Betula papyrifera var. occidentalis)
Size at 60 years:
50-70 feet tall, 1-2 feet in diameter
Life Span:
80+ years
Leaves:
2-3" long, egg-shaped, edges coarsely notched, surface dull, dark green.
Fruit:
Cylindrical, stalked strobile, 1-1 1/2" long.
Bark:
Dark brown at first, turning chalky to creamy white. Separates into thin papery strips.
Where to find:
Moist upland soils and cutover lands. Often in nearly pure stands.
Things to know:
Used for ice-cream sticks, toothpicks, and toys. Indians made canoes by stretching strips of bark over cedar frames.
View photos of this tree.
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