Images of the Downy Birch (Betula pubescens)

Downy Birch

Betula pubescens

This tree, native to northern Europe, Greenland and Iceland, has cracked and shedding bark of a distinctive cream-green color. It is used for food, medicinal purposes, woodworking. Its bark is used for building boats and canoes.

Habitat:Wet sites in northern latitudes.

Growth Habit:Deciduous tree growing to a large oval shape, up to 65 feet high, when given the space, with a single trunk or branches that begin close to the ground.

Presence in US:CT GA IN MA MD ME MI MT NJ NY OH PA RI VA VT WV

Presence in Canada:BC NS ON

This project was supported in part by NSF Grant IIS-03-25867 (ITR: An Electronic Field Guide: Plant Exploration and Discovery in the 21st Century) and by the Washington Biologists' Field Club.

Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official views, opinions, or policy of the National Science Foundation (NSF).