Gray Birch
Betulis populifolia
42.6493, -71.1316
Field Notes
Description:
The betulis populifolia, or gray birch, is a species of birch with serrated, narrow, triangular leaves. The bark is white, though less so than the white birch, and slowly develops gray or black patches. The bark is also characterised by horizontal lines (see photos 2-4 above). As we can see now that autumn is upon us, the leaves of the gray birch turn a dull yellow or orangey-brown.
Habitat:
Deciduous forests of eastern North America
Notes:
Fun fact: the bark of the gray birch was used by the Iroquois Native Americans for a variety of purposes! It can be used to shield oneself from the cold, and as paper (though birch bark paper is primarily made of white birch).
On campus, this gray birch, which is situated by the GW circle, provides a flash of color amidst the dark green pine trees that surround it. Birch trees also happen to be my favorite tree, and this is one of the few I have found on campus. Over the summer, I go to camp on an island called Birch Island, which is in Lake Wahwashkesh in Ontario. There are so many birch trees there that our paths are lined with birch logs, the bark of which illuminates these paths at night. While at camp, I developed an appreciation for all the tree has to offer: shelter, fire, shade, beauty. Now that I'm at school, the birch tree pictured above keeps me mindful of all that nature has to offer, and also provides a sense of familiarity.
- Emma Kukielski
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