B The Important Distinctions Paper Birch Gray Birch Yellow Birch Betula papyrifera Betula populifolia Betula alleghaniensis H C BARK R I Separates into thin, horizontal, Does not separate into papery Separates into thin, horizontal, B TEXTURE papery layers layers ribbon-like strips Outer, chalky or grayish white; Outer, chalky or grayish-white, COLOR Bright silvery gray or light yellow inner bark orange dirty-looking; inner bark orange Wintergreen odor when young ODOR No odor No odor branches are scraped LEAVES 1 1 LENGTH 2–4 inches 2 ⁄2–3 inches 3–4 ⁄2 inches OUTLINE Egg-shaped Triangular Egg-shaped MARGIN Doubly toothed Coarsely and doubly toothed Coarsely and doubly toothed SHAPE Tip short pointed; base rounded Tip long pointed; base truncated Base unevenly rounded SURFACE Upper dark green, dull Upper dark green and glossy Upper dark green, dull and hairy FLOWER STRUCTURE 3 catkins Single or paired catkins 3–4 catkins ARRANGEMENT Clustered Not clustered Not clustered BUDS TEXTURE Sticky when squeezed Not sticky Smooth SHAPE Long, tapered Short, globose Long, sharp-pointed SCALES Without hairs Without hairs Hairy COLOR Reddish-brown Red-brown to greenish-brown Reddish-brown TWIGS Very fine, warty but not hairy, TEXTURE Hairy, with spur shoots Somewhat hairy, with spur shoots without spur shoots COLOR Depends on age Dull gray or brown Greenish or yellow-brown ODOR No wintergreen odor No wintergreen odor Slight wintergreen odor 86 BIRCHES Sweet Birch Mountain Paper Birch Betula lenta Betula cordifolia H BARK C R I Smooth on young trees; TEXTURE Small portions peal away in thin sheets B broken into irregular plates on older trees Whitish with a pink to salmon- COLOR Dark to almost black colored tinged to reddish-brown Wintergreen odor when young branches ODOR No odor are scraped LEAVES LENGTH 3–5 inches 2–4 inches OUTLINE Egg-shaped Egg-shaped MARGIN Singly and sharply toothed Doubly toothed SHAPE Base heart-shaped Tip short pointed; base heart-shaped Upper dark green, dull; SURFACE Upper dull green lower light yellow-green FLOWER STRUCTURE 3–4 catkins 2–4 catkins ARRANGEMENT Not clustered Clustered BUDS TEXTURE Smooth Sticky when squeezed SHAPE Long, sharp-pointed Long, tapered SCALES Without hairs Without hairs COLOR Chestnut brown Brown TWIGS Sparsely hairy, often warty, TEXTURE Smooth with spur shoots, no hairs with spur shoots COLOR Reddish-brown Yellowish-brown to dark brown ODOR Strong wintergreen odor No wintergreen odor BIRCHES 87 P B Betula papyrifera Marsh. aper, white or canoe birch is a Pcommon tree in all parts of the state; it occurs in pure stands or in mix- ture with other species. It reaches 60–70 feet in height and 1–2 feet in diameter. It grows along streams and on the borders of lakes and ponds, thriving best in a rich, moist soil. When young, the branches are short, slender, spreading, somewhat drooping, and form a narrow, regular head. In the forest, the trunk is free from branches well up from the ground; and the tree forms an open, narrow and round-topped head. The bark is a protective layer and Paper birch is used should never be removed from living to make toothpicks trees. On the trunk and limbs, it sepa- rates freely and easily into thin, papery and golf tees. sheets. The outer surface is white, the inner part bright orange. Seedlings or 88 PAPER BIRCH H C R I B very young trees have a darker colored Paper birch bark will peel off in bark, which gradually changes to a large sheets, but it should never creamy-white. be removed from living trees. The leaves are alternate, ovate, short-pointed, 2 –4 inches long, thick- make canoes. In the early spring paper er than those of gray birch, doubly- birch sap contains considerable sugar. toothed, with the upper surface dark Historically paper birch was one of the green and dull. most valuable tree species in Maine. In The flowers are in catkins. They the past, the wood was used to make open in early spring before the leaves. shoe pegs (used instead of nails in the Those appearing in fall are dormant, manufacture of shoes) as well as a staminate catkins and occur mostly in number of products that used to be clusters of three. made in Maine, but are now manufac- The twigs are usually hairy and, tured off-shore. These include clothes- unlike yellow birch, without a winter- pins, yarn spools, toothpicks, paper roll green taste. The buds are slightly sticky. plugs and plywood. The wood is close-grained, mod- erately hard, and strong. It is used MAINE REGISTER OF BIG TREES 2008 for woodenware, flatware and turned Paper Birch products including toys, dowels, furni- Circumference: 148" ture parts, pulp and firewood. Height: 72' The tree gets the name of “paper Crown Spread: 22' birch” from how the bark was used Location: Alton by early settlers, and that of “canoe birch” because the bark was used to PAPER BIRCH 89 G BBetula populifolia Marsh. ray birch is a short-lived and not particu- Glarly valuable tree. It occurs to some extent statewide, but is only abundant in the southern and eastern sections of the state. It is frequently found in old fields, burns and heavi- ly-cut areas. This is a small tree that commonly reaches 20–30 feet in height and 4–8 inches in Gray birch is a short-lived and not particularly valuable tree that is used primarily for pulp and firewood. 90 GRAY BIRCH H C R I B diameter. It usually occurs in clumps Gray birch has single or paired catkins in and often leans. The branches are short, winter and spring. slender, frequently pendulous and con- torted, and bend toward the ground The twigs are the most slender of when the tree is not crowded. The head our native hardwoods. They are tough is long, narrow, pointed and open. and wiry, dull gray or brown, hairless, The bark is close and firm, and and have a rough, warty surface. Dead does not easily separate into thin lay- twigs tend to stay attached to the trunk. ers. The outer part is dull grayish-white This, plus the dirty appearance of the or chalky. The inner portion is orange. bark, makes this tree easy to recognize. The leaves are 2½–3 inches in The wood is light, soft, often length, thin, long-pointed, triangular, coarse-grained, and decays rapidly alternate and doubly toothed. The when exposed. It is occasionally used upper surface is dark green and glossy. for pulp and firewood; in the past it The slightest breeze causes them to was used for paper roll plugs. flutter like those of the poplars, hence the scientific name Betula populifolia MAINE REGISTER OF which means “birch with poplar leaves.” BIG TREES 2008 The flowers are produced in Gray Birch catkins. They open in early spring Circumference: 71" before the leaves. Those that appear in Height: 65' fall are male and usually solitary. Crown Spread: 27' Location: Richmond GRAY BIRCH 91 Y BBetula alleghaniensis Britt. ellow birch is the largest of the Ynative birches, growing to a diameter of 3 feet and a height of 70–85 feet. The spreading branches are somewhat pendulous; they form a broad, round-topped head in the open, but an irregular head in the woods. It grows well statewide on cool, moist sites, and is frequently mixed with beech and sugar maple, or with hemlock. The bark on the branches and on the stems of young trees is very shiny, silvery-gray or yellowish-brown, sepa- rating into loose, thin, horizontal, often ribbon-like layers. On old trees, it is divided into large thin plates and is dull The yellow birch is one of our gray or black. The leaves are 3–4½ inches long, most valuable timber trees and ovate or nearly oblong, alternate; the makes excellent firewood. edges are doubly toothed, the upper 92 YELLOW BIRCH H C R I B Yellow birch’s bark peels in small curls. Very old trees have platy bark. side dull, dark green and hairy. Leaves heartwood, which makes up the bulk closely resemble those of eastern of the wood, has a pleasing reddish hophornbeam. color; this is why it is sometimes called The flowers are in catkins. In win- red birch. It takes stains easily, makes ter there are 3–4 pre-formed staminate excellent veneer wood, and does not catkins on the shoots, but not in clus- easily warp. It is also used for furniture, ters. They open in the early spring. flooring, woodenware, lumber for The twigs are yellowish to dark interior finish, plywood, railroad ties, brown and somewhat hairy. The young pallets, pulp, gunstocks and dowels. twigs are aromatic like sweet birch, The yellow birch is one of our most although to a lesser degree. Both the valuable timber trees and makes excel- buds and twigs have a pronounced lent firewood. As with sweet birch, wintergreen taste. wintergreen oil was The wood is hard, strong, heavy formerly distilled from and will take a good polish. It is close- twigs and branches. grained and evenly textured. The MAINE REGISTER OF BIG TREES 2008 Yellow Birch Circumference: 200" Height: 48' Crown Spread: 91' Location: Deer Isle YELLOW BIRCH 93 S BBetula lenta L. weet, black or cherry birch is Sfound, though uncommonly, in the southern third of the state. It inhabits the banks of streams or moist, rich upland soil. It is a handsome tree with a tall dark stem, and spreading, slender, horizontal branches that are pendulous at the ends. It has a graceful, open, narrow head, which in full sun becomes round and symmetrical.