Paper Birch

Paper birch (Betula papyrifera), also known as canoe birch or white birch, is a deciduous tree of riparian and montane habitats in Banff National Park. Its white, peeling bark is iconic in northern forests.

Identification: White to cream bark that peels in papery sheets; dark horizontal lenticels; triangular, doubly serrate leaves; drooping male and upright female catkins in spring. Water birch (Betula occidentalis) occurs in wetter sites and has darker bark.

Habitat: Riparian zones, forest edges, and montane valleys (1,350–1,650 m). Often with aspen, spruce, and balsam poplar along streams and lakeshores.

Ecology: Pioneer species on disturbed sites; shade-intolerant; shaded out by conifers. Buds and seeds eaten by birds and small mammals; bark historically used by Indigenous peoples for canoes and containers.