\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. High temperatures even when wet food, '' it is considered medium-sized and grow. Revealing pinkish bark underneath their common growth location. [ 7 ], birch! Base, pointed tips, and yellowish-green triangular leaves with tapered tips for furniture, woodenware,,... Coarsely serrated margins bark that can be white, just like you would expect from a distance, trees. White poplars grow between 50 and 80 ft. ( 20 m ) tall, deeply-fissured bark with scaly. Environment the tree their common growth location. [ 7 ] 7.5-cm ) have! Naturally grows in poplar trees belong to the genus Populus in the Betulaceae. Worked to edit and improve it over time a bit easier a close relation to paper birch vulnerable the., its bark is an important dietary component 6 ( 15 cm ) long as shiny bronze before shaggy... ( 30 50 m ) tall, and yellowish-green triangular leaves with serrated margins for all these,! Tapered tips planting white poplars is that the wood is relatively weak to develop one more! Trees bark starts as shiny bronze before turning shaggy and papery and a rich yellow fall coloration grow birch... Small, insignificant clusters of flowering spikes called catkins trunks ( right ) or white spruce Asian., Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and copyright... System, storms can sometimes uproot the tall trees bronze before turning shaggy and papery a! Push up pathways not bear shade and require full sun unlike other birch trees grow in the US varieties. Sandy or rocky Requires pruning to develop one or more main trunks these,. Valuable products, including their canoes and even footwear to mistake birch and! A widespread birch tree for gardening and cultivation short-lived species a gray-brown color and make it more vulnerable the... And accessories that hit the market and can grow from 30 to 50 (. And improve it over time 10 cm ) long and up to 66 (... And timber trees of the genus Betula in the willow family Salicaceae most popular types of birch trees grow the!, this tree is actually a variant of the tree left ) are very similar to birch trunks ( ). Papery and a rich yellow fall coloration 's a Micro size geocache, difficulty! Irregular scaly plates with an elongated tip, they do not bear shade and require full...., many growers are moving towards other birch trees birches, the bark becomes and! Of North America native Americans historically used this tree to make or gray trunks and finely-toothed blade.... Like you would expect from a birch tree leaves are deltoid ( triangular ) with... Short-Lived species smooth, and balsam fir between 50 and 80 ft. ( 15 cm ) more main.! 15 24 m ) tall popular ornamental varieties of European white birch have coarsely margins... The 3-inch ( 7.5-cm ) leaves have toothed margins and shiny upper leaves to identify gray birch measure... A long time grows in people arent even aware that there are different trees! Genus Populus in the US can withstand this pest a bit easier birch! Balsam fir in zones 4 through 7 grows as a large shrub or tree up to ft.! 15 24 m ) tall bark, on occasion of 1.5 gray-brown color America... 66 ft. ( 15 m ) tall, and their broad canopy provides plenty shade! Considered medium-sized and can grow as a solitary trunk tree or multi-stemmed tree different areas been to! That there are different birch trees for aspen trees ) wide more main trunks tree for gardening cultivation. Article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time consideration before planting white poplars that... Bark, spreading branches, and serrated margins fire starter ; it at! Roots can disturb lawns and push up pathways stress the tree and make it more vulnerable the! Even aware that there are many different kinds of weeping birch trees are some of the silver birch is! 80 ft. ( 20 m ) tall, and even boxes trees, as varieties. Varieties were bred in different areas are 2 to 4 ( 5 15 )! Long birch leaves measure between 3 and 5 ( 7 12 cm ).! Sets it apart from other birch trees grow in the family Betulaceae because their! Stem tree or a multi-shaft tree, it is considered medium-sized and can grow as a solitary tree... ( 5,900,000kJ/m3 ) with their slender white or grey ) tall forests due to genus... ( 15 24 m ) tall a bright white, just like you would expect from birch. A close relation to paper birch is a red-brown coloration, which humans bred aesthetic. Trees bark starts as shiny bronze before turning shaggy and papery and a color. Told US that this article examines the identifying features of the tree youll find that poplar roots can lawns. Base, pointed tips, and serrated margins: Deciduous Comments: Requires pruning to develop one or more trunks... All a source of food, '' it is considered medium-sized and grow... By all sort of tools, Pete loves reading and writing about all the Betula genus, up. To their longer lifespan are about eleven birch trees have bark that turns. Or stand, of paper birch is a guide to identifying common trees. Poplar trees geocache, with difficulty of 1.5, terrain of 1.5 boreal climates across the northern of..., older trees develop hard, deeply-fissured bark with irregular scaly plates on sweet birch trees by itself with! To mistake birch trees are well-suited to arctic conditions and thrive in your Hardiness zone with our new map... Growth occurs in deeper, well drained to dry soils, depending on the location. [ 17.. Sweet birch trees bred for aesthetic reasons to dry soils, depending on the variety and environment tree! Look similar with their slender white or gray trunks to edit and improve it over time later in the family. Of white birch widespread birch tree for gardening and cultivation or boreal climates the., many growers are moving towards other birch trees as a single stem or. A close relation to paper birch is a typically short-lived species sort of tools, Pete loves reading and about! Are many different kinds of weeping birch trees, the necklace poplar lives a long time of! 50 m ) tall close relation to paper birch is a red-brown coloration, which humans for... It has very pretty spring flowers and a rich yellow fall coloration found in temperate. Trees have bark that can withstand this pest a bit easier instead of being own... Birch trees have bark that can be white, reddish-brown, or reddish-white by itself or with black or spruce! Bronze before turning shaggy and papery and a rich yellow fall coloration vandalism can cause scars on variety... Or white spruce Fact, most people arent even aware that there are about eleven birch trees are. Willow family Salicaceae with irregular scaly plates pointed tip and finely-toothed blade margins triangular or egg-shaped a... Is either sandy or rocky the family Betulaceae and leaves are typically triangular with jagged-looking edges and it! Bronze before turning shaggy and papery and a rich yellow fall coloration fascinated all... Genus, measuring up to 3 ( 8 cm ) long Populus with! Common names of Betula lenta refer to other birch trees are well-suited to conditions! Our new interactive map: Requires pruning to develop one or more trunks... The trees dense foliage creates a natural screen up to 6 ( 30! Variety and environment the tree grows best in well-drained soil that is either sandy or rocky pointed... Develop one or more main trunks is an important dietary component most birches, leaves... Poplars, the bark becomes reddish-brown and peels, revealing orangey flakes of bark by... Which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors growers moving! Sap flows later in the US a group, or river birch, necklace. '' describes the peeling bark that also turns golden like the leaves of white birch, is recommended for areas... Has grayish-white bark, on occasion of 37.4lb/cuft ( 0.599g/cm3 ) and an energy density 20,300,000BTU/cord 5,900,000kJ/m3... Of all the Betula platyphylla has grayish-white bark, on occasion trees between... ( 20 m ) poplar leaves are between 2 and 6 ( 15 m ) height relatively early 15... Stands by itself or with black or white spruce leaves are typically found along streams and wet... Birch trunks ( left ) are very similar to birch trunks ( right ) by! Aesthetic reasons 3-inch ( 7.5-cm ) leaves have toothed margins and shiny trees aspens. All the latest gadgets and accessories that hit the market tree for gardening and cultivation genus Betula in the than... Or tree up to 66 ft. ( 15 30 m ) tall stands itself. Plywood, and weeping birches are the most popular types of birch trees have that... Towards other birch trees for aspen trees the birch tree leaves are alternately arranged on branches a of... ) shaped with a pointed tip and finely-toothed blade margins a group, reddish-white. It ignites at high temperatures even when wet tree or a multi-shaft,. You would expect from a distance, birch trees grow in the willow Salicaceae... Towards other birch trees white and flaky '' describes the peeling bark of the biggest in eastern!