Betula papyrifera
Paper Birch, Mountain paper birch, Kenai birch
Explore the size, hardiness, soil, light, edible uses and harvest period of Betula papyrifera.
General Information
Plant Properties
Growth conditions
Well-drained, Moist
Sand (light) Loam (medium) Clay (heavy)
Acidic Neutral Alkaline
Full sun
Usage properties
Flowers, Inner bark, Leaves, Sap, Tea
Adhesive, Charcoal, Dye, Essential oil, Fibre, Cosmetic use, Paper, Pioneer species, Repellent, Wood, Fragrant, Bee forage
Description
Inner bark - raw or cooked, best in spring. The inner bark can be dried, ground, and used as a thickening agent in soups or added to flour for making bread and cookies. Normally, inner bark is only eaten during food scarcity when other forms of starch are not available. Sap - raw or cooked with a sweet flavor, harvested in early spring. The sap flows best on warm, sunny days following a hard frost. The sap can also be concentrated into syrup or sugar by boiling off some of the water and fermented to make birch beer or vinegar. Very young leaves, shoots, and catkins - raw or cooked. Tea can be brewed from the young leaves and root bark.