Paper Birch
Betula papyrifera
The iconic white-barked paper birch, its peeling chalky bark a year-round feature. Best in cool climates with moist soil; catkins and seeds feed redpolls and siskins, foliage feeds hundreds of caterpillars.
- Family
- Betulaceae
- Type
- tree
- Lifespan
- perennial
- Height
- 50–70 ft
- Spacing
- 25–50 ft apart
- Light
- sun, part shade, shade
- Soil moisture
- moist
- Soil pH
- acidic, neutral
- Bloom
- April
- Bloom colors
- yellow, green, brown
- Wildlife value
- songbirds, butterflies, larval host
- Caterpillar hosts
- ~411 butterfly & moth species
- Landscape uses
- specimen
- Native states
- AK, CO, CT, IA, ID, IL, IN, MA, ME, MI, MN, MT, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, SD, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY
Related native plants
More Betula species
- Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis)
- River Birch (Betula nigra)
- Sweet Birch (Betula lenta)
- Gray Birch (Betula populifolia)
- Bog Birch (Betula pumila)
- Water Birch (Betula occidentalis)