The Canoe Birch, or Paper Birch, is a common tree found throughout the United States. White bark covers the trunk, and peels away naturally in tight spirals. If touched, a birch’s trunk can be easily damaged or marked. Backcountry campers use birch bark as an accessible fire starter and occasionally as actual paper, drawing on it with pressure from a knife or stick; a practice first used by indigenous people in North America. This tree grows in a single trunk, usually near other birch trees. This tree is classified as a pioneer species because it is often the first to grow back after a dramatic shift in environment that decimates other trees, such as wildfire.
Foliage
Birch leaves have “teeth” on their edges, which form a zigzag shape around the perimeter of each leaf. In the fall, these leaves turn bright yellow, and drop for the cold season.
Seeds or Cones
Each elongated vessel contains a plethora of seeds that are distributed when dropped by the tree. A singular birch seed is only a few millimeters in length.
All illustrations by A.S. Longman
Did you know?
The birch is the state tree of New Hampshire!
Download your own QR code here! On a phone, tap and hold to save. On a computer, right click. See the "make a sign" page for detailed instructions on how to make your own sign, and access additional tools!