To prevent it from rolling up during storage, the bark should be spread open and kept pressed flat. Removing the outer (light) layer of bark from the trunk of a living tree may not kill it, but probably weakens it and makes it more prone to infections. The similar Japanese cherry birch (B. grossa) also produces useful timber. The strong and water-resistant cardboard-like bark can be easily cut, bent, and sewn, which has made it a valuable building, crafting, and writing material, since pre-historic times. Removing birch bark from live trees is harmful to tree health and should be avoided. Birch bark knife handles are popular tools to be made currently. Woodsmen rely on the ability of yellow and paper birch bark to burn even when wet. The leaves, bark, and buds of the tree are used to make medicine. The drooping male catkins flower before the leaves emerge; smaller, upright female catkins on the same tree develop in conelike clusters, which disintegrate at maturity, releasing tiny, one-seeded, winged nutlets. The peeling white bark blends well with winter's snowy surroundings. The best time for collection is spring or early summer, as the bark is of better quality and most easily removed. Normally the proportion of xylem to leaves supplied by that xylem is greater in plants growing in dry habitats than in plants found in wet ones and may be as much as 700 times greater in certain desert plants than…, The birch zone extends from 3,000 to 3,900 feet (900 to 1,200 metres) above sea level, above which there is a willow belt that includes dwarf birch.…, In birches, for example, the leaf perceives the day-length “signal” and transmits inhibitory materials to the apex, thus bringing growth to a stop and inducing the formation of a resting bud. Birch Bark and Its many Uses. A birch has smooth, resinous, varicoloured or white bark, marked by horizontal pores (lenticels), which usually peels horizontally in thin sheets, especially on young trees. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. It is sometimes called red birch, black birch, or mountain birch. They are usually bright green, turning yellow in autumn. Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Experimental methods for the Palaeolithic dry distillation of birch bark: implications for the origin and development of Neandertal adhesive technology", "Birch tar extraction does not prove Neanderthal behavioral complexity", Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions Digital Image Collection, Wiigwaasi-Jiimaan: These Canoes Carry Culture, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Birch_bark&oldid=987168285, Articles lacking in-text citations from October 2012, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2008, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, In Scandinavia and Finland, it was used as the substratum of. A birch has smooth, resinous, varicoloured or white bark, marked by horizontal pores (lenticels), which usually peels horizontally in thin sheets, especially on young trees.On older trunks the thick, deeply furrowed bark breaks into irregular plates. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Corrections? Birch bark also contains substances of medicinal and chemical interest. Pale- to red-brown birchwood is used for flooring, furniture, cabinetry, interior finishing, vehicle parts, plywood, pulp, and turnery. The dormancy hormone, abscisic acid, may be concerned in this response and also in stomata…. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Swamp birch (B. pumila), a similar but smaller shrub, is found on boggy sites; it may be erect or trailing and matted. Here are six species or varieties. The Japanese monarch birch (B. maximowicziana) is a valuable timber tree of Japan, especially in the plywood industry. Short, slender branches rise to a narrow pyramidal crown on a young tree; they become horizontal, often pendulous, on an older tree. Usually 30 metres (100 feet) high, with flaking gray or orange-gray bark, it has heart-shaped leaves about 15 centimetres (6 inches) long and is a hardy ornamental. Silver Birch is widespread in Britain, Down Birch is more common in the Scottish Highlands and the others are introduced species or varieties planted in parks, gardens or urban settings for their striking bark. The best time for collection is spring or early summer, as the bark is of better quality and most easily removed. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). …with slender branches (such as birches), the reverse is true. Most require moist, sandy, and loamy soil; they are usually propagated by seeding or grafting. Both species have almost circular leaves, are food sources for birds and grazing animals, and may be planted as ornamentals. Hayes, Derek. The thin, water-impervious bark provided roofing, canoes, and shoes for North American Indians and early settlers. Explore {{searchView.params.phrase}} by color family {{familyColorButtonText(colorFamily.name)}} Historical Atlas of Canada: Canada's History Illustrated with Original Maps. Removing the inner layer prevents the flow of sap, which will eventually kill the tree if enough bark is removed. This article was most recently revised and updated by, USDA Forest Service - How to Grow and Maintain a Healthy Birch Tree, The Spruce - Meet 12 Species and Cultivars of Birch Trees, birch - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), birch - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Birch bark was a valuable construction material in any part of the world where birch trees were available. Updates? Birch bark can be cut with a sharp knife, and worked like cardboard. On older trunks the thick, deeply furrowed bark breaks into irregular plates. Instead, it can be removed fairly easily from the trunk or branches of dead wood, by cutting a slit lengthwise through the bark and pulling or prying it away from the wood. Bog birch (B. glandulosa) of North America, also called tundra dwarf birch or resin birch, and dwarf birch, or dwarf Arctic birch (B. nana), native to most far northern areas of the world, are small alpine and tundra shrubs commonly known as ground birch. Browse 1,477 birch tree bark stock photos and images available, or search for birch trees or silver birch tree to find more great stock photos and pictures. Bark can be harvested from any birch tree (at the right time of year). Other uses include: Birch bark also makes an outstanding tinder, as the inner layers will stay dry even through heavy rainstorms. For several years after a tree has been harvested the tree's bark will be black. Even today, birch bark remains a popular type of wood for various handicrafts and arts. Birch trees can be identified by their distinctive bark. Birches were among the first trees to become established after the glaciers receded. Birch oil and birch beer made from sap are obtained from the trees. Many ornamental varieties are cultivated for their leaf colour, leaf shape, or growth habit. Ivory birch (family Euphorbiaceae) and West Indian birch (family Burseraceae) are not true birches. Short, slender branches rise to a narrow pyramidal crown on a young tree; they become horizontal, often pendulous, on an older tree. It is important to keep in mind that removing the inner layer of bark from any live tree can do irreversible harm to that tree. Omissions? Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The egg-shaped or triangular, usually pointed leaves have toothed margins; they are alternately arranged on the branchlets. Gray birch, paper birch, river birch, sweet birch, yellow birch, and white birch are the best known; white birch is usually called silver birch in England, but the latter name is also sometimes given to paper birch and to yellow birch. The paper birch trees (Betula papyrifera) is a fast-growing but short-lived tree that often develops multiple trunks as the plant matures.The most distinctive characteristic of this medium-sized deciduous tree is the peeling bark, which contrasts sharply against the green leaves that turn bright yellow in fall. This page was last edited on 5 November 2020, at 10:06. Containers such as wrappings, bags, baskets, boxes, or quivers were made by most societies well before pottery was invented[citation needed]. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Save 50% off a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Birch bark or birchbark is the bark of several Eurasian and North American birch trees of the genus Betula. Some of those products (such as betulin) also have fungicidal properties that help preserve bark artifacts, as well as food preserved in bark containers. A few natural hybrids between trees and shrubs of the genus Betula are cultivated as ornamentals in Europe and North America. Instead, it can be removed fairly easily from the trunk or branches of dead wood, by cutting a slit lengthwise through the bark and pulling or prying it away from the wood. However, there is a danger that the tree will be injured in the harvesting process and many people do not like the look of a tree that has been harvested. To B. glandulosa be black propagated by seeding or grafting be planted as ornamentals,... The Japanese monarch birch ( family Burseraceae ) are sometimes used ornamentally B. )! When wet species of buckthorn, as the bark should be scored ( scratched first... Plywood industry the Japanese white birch ( B. grossa ) also produces useful timber several Eurasian and North American and! 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