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Birch Twig

The simple leaves are finely toothed. The fruit is a small samara. Birch differs from alder (Alnus) with a female catkin is not woody and will not fall apart.
Birch twig

Birch twig

Steve Nix

Birch (Betula Spp.) - Alternate Ranked

  • Often confused with beech, hophornbeam, alder and ironwood.
  • Has short, scaled buds (vs.# long, scaled buds on beech).
  • Male and female parts on same tree (male long catkins, female short cones).
  • Has no catkins.
  • Yellow birch has wintergreen tasting twig.
  • River birch has salmon colored exfoliating bark.
  • Paper (canoe) birch has creamy white thin bark separating into papery strips.

    • Identify the Birches

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