Leaf guide › Birches & beeches
Paper birch
Betula papyrifera
Bright yellow leaves over chalk-white bark, lighting up northern forests.
- Fall color
- Yellow
- Turns
- Mid-season
- Leaves
- Alternate (one per spot)
- Size
- 2–4 in. long
- Found in
- New England & New York, Great Lakes & North Woods, Rockies
How to recognize it
- Oval leaf with a pointed tip and a rounded base.
- Double-toothed edge: large teeth with smaller teeth between.
- Five to nine pairs of straight side veins.
- White bark that peels in thin, papery strips.
Where to find it
Look for it on northern hillsides and lakeshores, and in areas that burned or were logged, often mixed with spruce, fir, and aspen.
Where you’ll see it this fall
Paper birch is one of the main trees in the fall color at these destinations. Dates are the typical peak.
Maine: Rangeley (Oct 1), Greenville (Oct 1), Millinocket (Oct 3), Bethel (Oct 8), Camden (Oct 16), Bar Harbor (Oct 16), Portland (Oct 19)
Massachusetts: Lenox (Oct 14), Williamstown (Oct 15), Shelburne Falls (Oct 17)
Michigan: Copper Harbor (Sep 26), Marquette (Oct 1), Mackinac Island (Oct 4), Traverse City (Oct 8)
Minnesota: Ely (Sep 18), Grand Marais (Sep 26), Duluth (Sep 28)
Montana: West Glacier (Oct 7)
New Hampshire: Franconia Notch (Oct 3), Jackson (Oct 8), Lincoln (Oct 9), North Conway (Oct 10), Hanover (Oct 11), Keene (Oct 15)
New York: Lake Placid (Oct 2), Old Forge (Oct 6), Lake George (Oct 13)
South Dakota: Spearfish Canyon (Oct 10)
Vermont: Smugglers' Notch (Sep 30), Jay Peak (Oct 1), Killington (Oct 6), Stowe (Oct 7), Montpelier (Oct 9), Burlington (Oct 9), Woodstock (Oct 11), Manchester (Oct 12), Bennington (Oct 14), Brattleboro (Oct 16)
Wisconsin: Minocqua (Sep 27), Sturgeon Bay (Oct 9)
Easy to confuse with
Quaking aspen
Rounder leaf with small, even teeth and a flat stem. Bark doesn’t peel.
Gray birch
Triangular leaf with a long, tapering tip.
Worth knowing
Paper birch is the state tree of New Hampshire. Its waterproof bark was used for canoes, containers, and shelters. Its peeling bark burns even when damp, which made it a favorite fire starter.
Common questions
What color does paper birch turn in fall?
Paper birch turns a bright, clear yellow, especially striking against its white bark and the dark evergreens around it.
When does paper birch change color?
Around the middle of the local season. In the North Woods and northern New England, its yellow is a big part of peak.
How can you tell paper birch from quaking aspen?
Quaking aspen: Rounder leaf with small, even teeth and a flat stem. Bark doesn’t peel. Paper birch: Oval leaf with a pointed tip and a rounded base.
Where does paper birch grow?
In the lower 48, look for it in New England & New York, the Great Lakes & North Woods, and the Rockies.
See where the color is peaking today.
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