Arboretum Tour: White Paper Birch (Betula Papyrifera)

As cold as the day was when the class ventured out to walk the Arboretum Tour, a certain type of tree stuck out. The tree I speak of is known as the White Birch, also known as the Paper Birch and the Latin name being Betula Papyrifera.

The most significant feature of the White Birch is the white bark the tree bears. Though there are some problems the White Birch has like excessive shedding of bark. "As tempting as it might be, one should avoid peeling the loose sheets of bark, which can damage the tree." (The UMF Arboretum, 14) The tree has benefits as well, such as being a "pioneer species" (The UMF Arboretum, 14) which is able to grow and colonize in open sites.

Even thought the White Birch can be easily damaged, the species has also been of great use to the early Native Americans and English settlers. In the early years of the Americas, it has been shown in history that the settlers from Europe as well as the Native Americans had been using the White Birch for canoes for generations. (The UMF Arboretum, 14) As for the one-inch window, I focused upon the white bark that clothe the tree. As I focused on the bright bark, I notice that the black lines that are on the tree only flow in a horizontal pattern. I have no idea why the lines never go vertically but the way that the lines flow kind of remind me of a zebra's coat.

The White Birch was my choice because of the memories it brings about in my head. For instance, my early childhood home was a small house out in the middle of a vast, large field with a single White Birch resting near a large rock that lay beside the right side of the house. I would sit below the tree daily as I would take a break from the games I would play, just sit and watch the little life crawling in the grass, or even lay down and watch the clouds drift in whichever way the wind would blow.