Paper birch
Betula papyrifera 路 Betulaceae 路 also White birch, Canoe birch
A northern tree famous for chalk-white bark that peels in papery strips to show orange-pink beneath, with dark green leaves that turn bright yellow. It grows fast when young, often as a multi-trunked clump, and is the state tree of New Hampshire. South of about zone 6 it is short-lived because summer heat stresses it and bronze birch borer finishes it off.
Where it stands
Care
Plant in full sun with the roots in cool, mulched, consistently moist soil; a soaker hose in dry summers is worthwhile. Prune only when fully dormant or in late summer, never in spring when it bleeds. Bronze birch borer (D-shaped exit holes, dieback from the top) attacks stressed trees; birch leafminer and aphids are cosmetic.
Benefits
Good for