Betula

In the temperate and arctic zones, there are 40-60 birch species growing as trees or shrubs. Birches are known for their wonderful bark, but roughly half of the species have their bark turn other hues such as brownish-yellow, reddish or even pink. For all of them, it is replaced permarently by a blackish bark, however, wherever the smooth bark has been injured, .

The birches typically have monoecious flowers that open before the leaves shoot; the female ones are inconspicuous, small catkins, while the male catkins can be yellow when opening. The brownish fruit catkins with their tiny, winged seeds are noticeable. The deciduous leaves are alternate and elliptical to pointedly triangular. The birch species have especially useful autumn colours.

Betula - Overview

White-bark species

B. ermanii

B. papyrifera

B. pendula and varieties

B. pubescens

B. utilis

Other bark colours

B. albosinensis

B. maximowicziana

B. nigra