Yellow birch

LISTEN!

Hello! I am a beautiful yellow birch. Surely you have admired my lustrous, pale silver-gray bark? Did you know that I glow in the moonlight?

You can also recognize me by the small shredded bark curls that peel from my trunk. I am tall and straight, although sometimes my trunk divides into several stems close to the ground.

I am also very hardy and can survive in frigid temperatures as low as -50 degrees Fahrenheit. Try crushing some of my leaves – they have a pleasant odor that I think you will like.

I was very valuable to the early settlers. They discovered that my wood is harder than that of other birches. They used it to make ox yokes, sledge frames, and wagon wheel hubs. They crafted brooms by splintering the ends of saplings. They also brewed a beverage similar to root beer from my sap. And, if all that weren’t enough, my bark contains combustible oils, so it is a handy fire-starter.

Apart from being such a useful tree, I am sure you will agree that I am also the most beautiful tree in the forest!