Paper Birch Habitat

Climate

• The northern areas of Canada and Alaska within the Arctic Circle, within U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone 2, support the growth of the paper birch. The tree is also a component of the woodlands south of that region where spruce trees dominate the countryside. Mountainous terrain and subalpine areas are also habitat of this tree, as are portions of the Great Plains and the mixed forests found in the Great Lake States and the Northeast. Zones warmer than USDA zone 6, where summers are hot, are not appropriate for the paper birch.

Geography

• The range of the paper birch extends westward from northwestern Alaska across most of Canada as far east as Labrador. The distribution goes south into all of New England, much of New York State, northern Pennsylvania and states like Michigan and Minnesota. In the West, paper birch inhabits sections of Idaho, Montana, Washington and Oregon. The tree grows on such diverse sites as the slopes of mountains, on elevated upland sites and near swamps and waterways.

Soil Requirements

• The best soil for a paper birch to thrive in is well draining but acidic sandy types of loam. In the wild, the tree forms pure stands on the sandy and silty soil left behind by receding glaciers. However, paper birch can grow where the ground is gravelly as well as where it is very wet, such as in peat bogs. Ground that is too compact and/or dry is a poor choice for a paper birch.

Sunlight Requirements

• Those areas where dense shade occurs will not support the development of the paper birch. The tree requires full sunshine to grow to fruition. In an older forest, paper birches grow only where sunlight can reach them in the clearings and openings. Paper birch is a pioneer species, growing abundantly where fire has burned over an area or where a landslide has created an open site. Logging promotes the growth of paper birch in a forest, as the tree crops up in the open spaces created when larger trees come down.