Common Name(s): White Birch, Paper Birch, Canoe Birch
Scientific Name: Betula papyrifera Marsh.
Family: Betulaceae
Species Description
Growth form: White birch is a medium sized tree, typically around 80 feet tall with multi-trunk splits occasionally.
Leaves, twigs, and bark: The leaves are alternate and simple with also being pinnately lobed. They resemble an oval shape, and measure to be 3 to 5 inches long. The are lighter green with edges that are toothed and the bottom base of the leaf is rounded. The twigs are thin,with a brown-rust coloring with a slightly rough texture. The bark is also a brown-rust coloring but has white slender strips of bark peeling off horizontally.
Leaves of White birch tree #776, showing opposite leaf arrangement, and simple toothed leaves. (Photos by Hailey McArdle on 10/24/2019) .
Flowers: The white birch tree contains both female and male catkin like flowers on the same tree and they are present before leaves begin to appear. Female catkins are short and face upwards out of the branch, but the males catkins are longer and tend to face downward off the branch.
Female and male parts to the White birch tree (The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, )
Fruits: The fruit of a white birch are small nut like capsules that have small samara's that are winged.
Native range and habitat: White birch are not native but rather introduced to parts of Virginia. They can live in temperate climates all across North America. They can be found growing in northern parts such as Alaska to Maine. They also can be found more south in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and through Tennessee.
Distribution of White Birch across Virginia, (VA Botanical Associates, 2019).
Plant Family: White birch belongs to the birch family-Betulaceae. Their leaves can be simple, alternate, occasionally toothed. Male and female parts are both located on the same plant and appear before leaves do. There is a total of 60 species, making it one of the largest families. Some species include alder, hornbeam, birch, hazel and filbert.
Ecologic Importance and Uses:
Edible and Medicinal Uses:White birch can help to treat diseases of the blood, and help to induce sweating in humans. It can also be made into chewing gum that contains disinfectant components.
Wildlife: The white birch tree leaves are munched on by moose, white-tailed deer and other mammals that are able to reach its leaves. Small birds and mammals eat the seeds and catkins for a source of nutrients.
Gardens and Landscaping: From the U.S Department of Agriculture, the white birch tree has a soil hardiness zones 2 to 7. They are have a tendency to have roots that steal moisture from turf grass which makes them very frustrating for homeowners. They are used in landscaping but do not have a very long expect life and aren't as hardy as some other tree species that are commonly used for landscaping purposes. White birch can be planted to help correct sediment erosion from bank runoff.
Campus Specimens - White birch
State and National Champions: The largest white birch tree in the United States which is a national champion is located in Clackamah, Oregon. The overall trunk circumference is 124.0 inches with a height of 78.0 feet, and a crown of 68.0 feet. Total score for all the measurements equals 219.0. So far there seems to be no reported qualifiers for white birch being a Virginia state champion. At Radford University there is only one known tree of the white birch species. Tree #776 is located adjacent to Muse Hall on the A Wing side of the building, and close to the Radford transit bus stop on Tyler Ave
Located on Radford University campus, White birch #776
Tree #776
Trunk circumference: 33.0 inches
Tree height: 77.0 feet
Crown spread: 30.9 feet x 23.1 feet Average = 27.0 feet
Total points:
116.8
Notes: This is the only white birch tree located on Radford University's campus.
References
Elpel, T. J. (2018). Botany in a Day: The Patterns Method of Plant Identification, Edition 6.1. Hops Press, Pony, MT.