General: Bark creamy, to chalky white, peeling easily. Once the bark is removed, it is not renewed. A small to medium-sized tree. Often found with several stems growing together, occurring naturally only in the northern part of the State. Also called canoe birch and white birch. Wood has uses similar to those of [yellow birch], but principally used for spools, clothes-pins, toothpicks and paper pulp.
GRAY BIRCH
(Betula populifolia)
Leaves: Simple, alternate, triangular in shape, with long tapering point, 2½″-3″ long, smooth above and below, tremulous. Leaf-stems very slender. Turn yellow in autumn, as is true of all birches.
Twigs: Slender, greenish brown, rough due to small warty glands. Buds sharp-pointed, gummy.
Fruit: Similar to [sweet birch] but shorter (¾″ long).
General: Bark dull white, not peeling into thin paper-like layers as is the case with [paper birch]; dark colored on the branches; orange inner bark. Usually with triangular-shaped black patches on the trunk. A small short-lived tree, usually growing in clumps. Occurs chiefly in the northeastern counties. Wood of little commercial value; chiefly used for fuel.
BLACK LOCUST
(Robinia pseudoacacia)
Leaves: Compound, alternate; [leaflets] 1″-2″ long, margins smooth.