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Paper BirchBetula papyrifera
Gray BirchBetula populifolia
Yellow BirchBetula alleghaniensis
B A R K
TEXTURESeparates into thin, horizontal,
papery layersDoes not separate into papery
layersSeparates into thin, horizontal,
ribbon-like strips
COLOROuter, chalky or grayish white;
inner bark orangeOuter, chalky or grayish-white,dirty-looking; inner bark orange
Bright silvery gray or light yellow
ODOR No odor No odorWintergreen odor when young
branches are scraped
L E A V E S
LENGTH 2–4 inches 21⁄2–3 inches 3–41⁄2 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
F L O W E R
STRUCTURE 3 catkins Single or paired catkins 3–4 catkins
ARRANGEMENT Clustered Not clustered Not clustered
B U D S
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
T W I G S
TEXTURE Hairy, with spur shootsVery fine, warty but not hairy,
without spur shootsSomewhat hairy, with 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 B I R C H E S
B The Important Distinctions
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87B I R C H E S
Sweet BirchBetula lenta
Mountain Paper BirchBetula cordifolia
B A R K
TEXTURESmooth on young trees;
broken into irregular plates on older treesSmall portions peal away in thin sheets
COLOR Dark to almost blackWhitish with a pink to salmon- colored tinged to reddish-brown
ODORWintergreen odor when young branches
are scrapedNo odor
L E A V E S
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
SURFACEUpper dark green, dull; lower light yellow-green
Upper dull green
F L O W E R
STRUCTURE 3–4 catkins 2–4 catkins
ARRANGEMENT Not clustered Clustered
B U D S
TEXTURE Smooth Sticky when squeezed
SHAPE Long, sharp-pointed Long, tapered
SCALES Without hairs Without hairs
COLOR Chestnut brown Brown
T W I G S
TEXTURE Smooth with spur shoots, no hairsSparsely hairy, often warty,
with spur shoots
COLOR Reddish-brown Yellowish-brown to dark brown
ODOR Strong wintergreen odor No wintergreen odor
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88 P A P E R B I R C H
P B Betula papyrifera Marsh.
Paper, white or canoe birch is acommon tree in all parts of the
state; it occurs in pure stands or in mix-ture with other species. It reaches60–70 feet in height and 1–2 feet indiameter. It grows along streams andon the borders of lakes and ponds,thriving best in a rich, moist soil.
When young, the branches areshort, slender, spreading, somewhatdrooping, and form a narrow, regularhead. In the forest, the trunk is freefrom branches well up from theground; and the tree forms an open,narrow and round-topped head.
The bark is a protective layer andshould never be removed from livingtrees. On the trunk and limbs, it sepa-rates freely and easily into thin, paperysheets. The outer surface is white, theinner part bright orange. Seedlings or
Paper birch is used to make toothpicks
and golf tees.
89P A P E R B I R C H
very young trees have a darker coloredbark, which gradually changes to acreamy-white.
The leaves are alternate, ovate,short-pointed, 2 –4 inches long, thick-er than those of gray birch, doubly-toothed, with the upper surface darkgreen and dull.
The flowers are in catkins. Theyopen in early spring before the leaves.Those appearing in fall are dormant,staminate catkins and occur mostly inclusters of three.
The twigs are usually hairy and,unlike yellow birch, without a winter-green taste. The buds are slightly sticky.
The wood is close-grained, mod-erately hard, and strong. It is used for woodenware, flatware and turnedproducts including toys, dowels, furni-ture parts, pulp and firewood.
The tree gets the name of “paperbirch” from how the bark was used by early settlers, and that of “canoebirch” because the bark was used to
make canoes. In the early spring paperbirch sap contains considerable sugar.Historically paper birch was one of themost valuable tree species in Maine. Inthe past, the wood was used to makeshoe pegs (used instead of nails in themanufacture of shoes) as well as anumber of products that used to bemade in Maine, but are now manufac-tured off-shore. These include clothes-pins, yarn spools, toothpicks, paper rollplugs and plywood.
Paper birch bark will peel off inlarge sheets, but it should neverbe removed from living trees.
M A I N E R E G I S T E R O FB I G T R E E S 2 0 0 8
Paper BirchCircumference: 148"
Height: 72' Crown Spread: 22'
Location: Alton
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90 G R A Y B I R C H
G B Betula populifolia Marsh.
Gray birch is a short-lived and not particu-larly valuable tree. It occurs to some
extent statewide, but is only abundant in thesouthern and eastern sections of the state. It isfrequently found in old fields, burns and heavi-ly-cut areas. This is a small tree that commonlyreaches 20–30 feet in height and 4–8 inches in
Gray birch is a short-lived and notparticularly valuable tree that is usedprimarily for pulp and firewood.
M A I N E R E G I S T E R O FB I G T R E E S 2 0 0 8
Gray BirchCircumference: 71"
Height: 65' Crown Spread: 27'
Location: Richmond
91G R A Y B I R C H
diameter. It usually occurs in clumpsand often leans.The branches are short,slender, frequently pendulous and con-torted, and bend toward the groundwhen the tree is not crowded. The headis long, narrow, pointed and open.
The bark is close and firm, anddoes not easily separate into thin lay-ers. The outer part is dull grayish-whiteor chalky. The inner portion is orange.
The leaves are 2½–3 inches inlength, thin, long-pointed, triangular,alternate and doubly toothed. Theupper surface is dark green and glossy.The slightest breeze causes them toflutter like those of the poplars, hencethe scientific name Betula populifoliawhich means “birch with poplar leaves.”
The flowers are produced incatkins. They open in early springbefore the leaves. Those that appear infall are male and usually solitary.
The twigs are the most slender ofour native hardwoods. They are toughand wiry, dull gray or brown, hairless,and have a rough, warty surface. Deadtwigs tend to stay attached to the trunk.This, plus the dirty appearance of thebark, makes this tree easy to recognize.
The wood is light, soft, oftencoarse-grained, and decays rapidlywhen exposed. It is occasionally usedfor pulp and firewood; in the past itwas used for paper roll plugs.
Gray birch has single or paired catkins inwinter and spring.
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92 Y E L L O W B I R C H
Y B Betula alleghaniensis Britt.
Yellow birch is the largest of thenative birches, growing to a
diameter of 3 feet and a height of70–85 feet. The spreading branches aresomewhat pendulous; they form abroad, round-topped head in the open,but an irregular head in the woods. Itgrows well statewide on cool, moistsites, and is frequently mixed with beechand sugar maple, or with hemlock.
The bark on the branches and onthe stems of young trees is very shiny,silvery-gray or yellowish-brown, sepa-rating into loose, thin, horizontal, oftenribbon-like layers. On old trees, it isdivided into large thin plates and is dullgray or black.
The leaves are 3–4½ inches long,ovate or nearly oblong, alternate; theedges are doubly toothed, the upper
The yellow birch is one of ourmost valuable timber trees andmakes excellent firewood.
93Y E L L O W B I R C H
side dull, dark green and hairy. Leavesclosely resemble those of easternhophornbeam.
The flowers are in catkins. In win-ter there are 3–4 pre-formed staminatecatkins on the shoots, but not in clus-ters. They open in the early spring.
The twigs are yellowish to darkbrown and somewhat hairy. The youngtwigs are aromatic like sweet birch,although to a lesser degree. Both thebuds and twigs have a pronouncedwintergreen taste.
The wood is hard, strong, heavyand will take a good polish. It is close-grained and evenly textured. The
heartwood, which makes up the bulkof the wood, has a pleasing reddishcolor; this is why it is sometimes calledred birch. It takes stains easily, makesexcellent veneer wood, and does noteasily warp. It is also used for furniture,flooring, woodenware, lumber forinterior finish, plywood, railroad ties,pallets, pulp, gunstocks and dowels.The yellow birch is one of our mostvaluable timber trees and makes excel-lent firewood. As with sweet birch,wintergreen oil wasformerly distilled fromtwigs and branches.
Yellow birch’s bark peels in small curls. Very old trees have platy bark.
M A I N E R E G I S T E R O F B I G T R E E S 2 0 0 8Yellow Birch Circumference: 200" Height: 48' Crown Spread: 91'
Location: Deer Isle
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94 S W E E T B I R C H
S B Betula lenta L.
Sweet, black or cherry birch isfound, though uncommonly, in
the southern third of the state. Itinhabits the banks of streams or moist,rich upland soil. It is a handsome treewith a tall dark stem, and spreading,slender, horizontal branches that arependulous at the ends. It has a graceful,open, narrow head, which in full sunbecomes round and symmetrical. Itgrows to a height of 60–70 feet and adiameter of 1–2 feet.
The bark on the trunk of old treesis dark to almost black, and separatesinto large, thick, irregular plates. Onyoung trees and branches, it is smooth,shiny, dark brown tinged with red, aro-matic, and has a very pronounced win-tergreen flavor.
The leaves are alternate, 3–5 inch-es long, aromatic, ovate or somewhat
The name “cherry birch” is applied to this tree because of theresemblance of the bark on old trunks to that of the black cherry.
95S W E E T B I R C H
oblong, and sharply toothed. Theupper surface is dark green and dull;the lower surface is light yellow-green.
The flowers are produced incatkins. The winter shoots support 3to 4 staminate catkins. They open justbefore the leaves unfold in the spring.
The wood is hard, heavy, strongand can be beautifully polished. It isprized for use in the manufacture offurniture and it makes excellent fire-wood. Limited amounts are used aspulpwood. Historically, oil with somemedicinal value was obtained from thebranches and bark by distillation, andwas generally known as wintergreen oil.
The name “cherry birch” is appliedto this tree because of the resemblanceof the bark on old trunks to that of theblack cherry.
Sweet birchtwigs havesmall spurbranches andtaste likewintergreen.
M A I N E R E G I S T E R O F B I G T R E E S 2 0 0 8Sweet Birch Circumference: 139" Height: 82'
Crown Spread: 48' Location: Gorham
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96 M O U N T A I N P A P E R B I R C H
M P B Betula cordifolia Regel.
Mountain paper birch is closelyrelated to paper birch, and has
been designated as a variety of thespecies by some authors (Betula papy-ifera var. cordifolia (Regel) Fern.). It isknown at many points in Maine, par-ticularly on mountain slopes, coastalheadlands and islands east of MountDesert Island. It often grows as aclump of several stems. It can grow toabout 60 feet in height and 1 foot ormore in diameter.
The bark of young trees andbranches is dark reddish-brown anddoes not peel. The bark of older treeswill separate into thin, papery layers.In mature trees, bark color ranges fromwhitish with a pinkish or salmon-col-ored tinge to reddish-brown or bronze.
The leaves are egg-shaped withheart-shaped bases, abruptly pointed,and coarsely doubly-toothed. Theflowers are borne in catkins. Dormantmale catkins in clusters of 2–4 arevisible during winter. Both male andfemale catkins expand in spring.
The fruit is a tiny nutlet with 2small lateral wings. It matures in fall andis dispersed during the fall and winter.Large numbers of birch seed can oftenbe seen on the surface of the snow.
The wood is similar to that ofpaper birch; and the two species are usu-ally not separated. It is used for turneryproducts, cabinetry, pulp and fuel.
Mountain paper birch is most often foundalong the coast and at high elevations.
Maine’s trees have beenused to make hundredsof different products,many of which are nowobsolete, including elmhub stock, shown herein an early photo fromCumberland, Maine.
98 E A S T E R N H O P H O R N B E A M
E H Ostrya virginiana (P. Mill.) K. Koch
Eastern hophornbeam or ironwoodis a small tree with either an open
or rounded crown. It reaches a height of20–30 feet and a diameter of 6–10 inch-es. The branches are long and slender,with ends that are somewhat drooping.
It is a fairly rapid grower, especiallyin good soil. It grows on slopes andridges having a dry, gravelly soil, and isoften found in the shade of other species.
The bark is gray, and separates easilyinto thin, narrow, vertical scales, becom-ing finer and stringy on older trees.
The leaves are 2–3 inches long,egg-shaped to nearly oblong in outline,widest in the middle, hairy on both sur-faces, alternate and sharply toothed.Theyare somewhat like those of yellow birch.
The flowers occur in catkins, whichopen with the leaf buds. The malecatkins are pre-formed in the fall andare usually in clusters of three.
The fruit is bladder-like, enclosesa ribbed nutlet and occurs in clusters.It ripens in September. The name
The name “hophornbeam” refersto the fruit, which closelyresembles the true hops.
99E A S T E R N H O P H O R N B E A M
“hophornbeam” refers to the fruit,which closely resembles the true hops.
The twigs are light brown, fine, toughand wiry, and have a small green pith.
The wood is very close-grained,heavy, very strong and is exceedinglyhard when seasoned. It is used for toolhandles, wedges for directional fellingof trees, and firewood. In the past, itwas used to make trip stakes on loghauling trucks (which contain, thenrelease the logs from the truck beds),wagon tongues (the shaft where thehorses are hitched) and other parts.
Eastern hophornbeambuds have tiny verticalgrooves that can be seenwith a magnifying glass.
M A I N E R E G I S T E R O F B I G T R E E S 2 0 0 8Eastern Hophornbeam*
Circumference: 77"/70" Height: 63'/67' Crown Spread: 38'/42'
Location: Livermore Falls/Pownall*Tie
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100 A M E R I C A N H O R N B E A M
A HCarpinus caroliniana Walt.
American hornbeam, blue-beechor musclewood occurs west of
the Penobscot River in the southernthird of the state. The American horn-beam is most commonly found inhab-iting wet woods and the borders ofswamps and streams. It is a small,slow-growing tree 10–25 feet tall and4–10 inches in diameter. The branchesare crooked. The trunk is characteristi-cally ridged, or fluted longitudinally.
The bark is smooth and grayish-blue. The leaves are alternate, egg-shaped or oval, 2–3 inches long,sharply toothed, smooth above andhairy below. They turn a brilliant scar-let in autumn.
Close-grained, strong, toughand durable, Americanhornbeam wood is used forlevers, handles and wedges.
101A M E R I C A N H O R N B E A M
The flowers are produced in catkinsthat open in spring before the leaves.
The fruit is a ribbed nutlet, whichis attached to the base of a three-lobedbract, and is borne in open clusters.
The twigs are reddish-brown, slen-der and tough. Buds are also reddish-brown and slender, and sharp-pointed.
The wood is close-grained, com-pact, strong, tough and durable. It isused for levers, handles, and wedges.
American hornbeam bark has asinewed appearance that gives it itsalternate name, “musclewood.”
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102
Speckled alder is very common inMaine, usually growing in wet
areas along brooks, in swamps and inpastures. It sprouts readily and is a nui-sance on pasture land. Alder usuallyoccurs as a shrub, rarely as a small tree.It is seldom more than 4 inches indiameter and 20 feet in height.
The bark is smooth, dark chocolatebrown, and marked with white, hori-zontal, elongated spots called lenticels.
The leaves are alternate, 2–3 inch-es long, usually broadly ovate; and thetexture is rough or rugose as the scien-tific name implies. The edges areunevenly or doubly-toothed.
The flowers are in catkins, and openbefore the leaves in spring.The purplish,wax-like male catkins are pre-formed theprevious fall. The fruit is woody andcone-like, with a very short stalk.
The winter buds are short-stalkedand maroon, with few scales showing.
The twigs are reddish-brown; the pithis triangular in cross section.
The wood is light and soft, andhas very little commercial use. Thewood discolors very rapidly on expo-sure to air. Baskets for the florist indus-try are made from small diameterstems. In the past, the wood was usedin hand forges, because of the intenseheat it produces when burned.
Two other species, green ormountain alder—Alnus viridis (Vill.)Lam. & DC. Spp. Crispa (Ait.) Tirrill)—and hazel alder (Alnus serrulata(Ait.) Willd.) occur as shrubs.
S AAlnus incana ssp. Rugosa (Du Roi) Clausen
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Mechanical equipment,including the Lombard log hauler, began to replace horses in the Maine woods in the early 1900s.
104 A M E R I C A N B E E C H
A B Fagus grandifolia Ehrh.
American beech occurs statewide,growing up to 70 feet in height
and 1–3 feet in diameter. Although itgrows best on rich upland soil, beech iscommon and sometimes forms nearlypure stands, with shoots often spring-ing up from the trees’ roots. Beech barkdisease causes significant mortality inMaine. The disease results when bark,attacked and altered by the beech scaleinsect, Cryptococcus fagisuga is invadedand killed by fungi, primarily Nectriacoccinea var. faginata.
The bark is light gray and smoothunless affected by beech bark disease.The bark of trees affected by the dis-ease is rough and pockmarked withsmall cankers.
American beech nuts aresweet and are an importantfood source for wildlife.
105A M E R I C A N B E E C H
The leaves are alternate, 3–5 inch-es long, elliptic, acutely pointed, withcoarse and hooked teeth. The marginbetween the teeth is nearly straight.Dead leaves are light tan and tend toremain on trees into winter.
The fruit consists of a bur, whichusually contains 2 triangular ediblenuts. These nuts are sweet and are animportant food source for wildlife.Trees that bears have climbed to eatbeech nuts show claw marks on thebark. The winter buds are long, slen-der, many scaled, and sharp-pointed.
The wood is strong, hard andtough, but not durable. Current usesinclude for pulp, pallet stock and fire-wood. In the past, it was used forclothespins, furniture, handles, wooden-ware, railroad ties, dowels and flooring.
European beech (Fagus sylvaticaL.), Purple (Fagus sylvatica var. atrop-unicea Weston) and Copper beech(Fagus sylvatica var. cuprea L.) are speciesof European origin planted in southernand central Maine as ornamentals.
Smooth barked beech (left) have become a rarityin Maine. The bark of most trees (right) isroughened by cankers caused by beech bark disease.
M A I N E R E G I S T E R O FB I G T R E E S 2 0 0 8
American BeechCircumference: 104"
Height: 87' Crown Spread: 58'Location: Hallowell
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