44 



ILLINOIS NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY CIRCULAR 51 



Fig. 46. — The weep- 

 ing form of European 

 birch is prized for its 

 white, papery bark, pen- 

 dulous branches, and 

 deeply cut leaves (in- 

 set). " 



light to dark red heartwood and nearly white, thin sapwood, is 

 strong and tough. However, it is hard to season, and it is not 

 durable in the ground. It takes a high polish and it is used ex- 

 tensively for furniture, tool handles, veneer, and fuel. The slight, 

 silver grain on the radial surface makes it distinctive when used 

 for flooring and stairways. 



Birch 



Six species of these trees, European (Betula pendula) , 

 cherry (B. leyita) , yellow {B. lutea) , river {B. nigra), canoe 

 {B. papyi'ifera) , and gray (B. populifolia) birch, are hardy in 

 Illinois. Birch is used for specimen, park, and lawn plantings, 

 and grows well in moist, rich soil. 



The smooth and sometimes papery bark of young birch trees 

 is distinctive and is white in some species. The pointed, irregu- 

 larly toothed, alternate leaves, V/o-G inches long, vary from egg 

 shaped on cherry, yellow, river, and canoe birch to triangular on 

 European (Fig. 46 inset) and gray birch. They are dark green 

 above and lighter beneath. The leaves of most birch trees turn 

 yellow in autumn. The male and female flowers are produced on 

 separate and conspicuous catkins on the same tree. The brown 



