Betula papyrifera, paper birch or canoe birch, is a North American native famous for bark that peels in thin, papery white sheets — chalky white on mature trunks, often coppery-bronze on young stems before it whitens. Indigenous peoples across its range used the bark, which is naturally waterproof and rot-resistant, to build canoes, containers, and shelter coverings, a use reflected in the common name. Trees carry small, inconspicuous wind-pollinated catkins in spring rather than a showy flower display, and the oval leaves turn a clear, bright yellow in fall. It is one of the most cold-hardy landscape trees available, native from Alaska and the boreal forest south into the northern tier of the Lower 48 and higher Appalachian elevations.
It is best suited to genuinely cold climates — it declines quickly in hot, humid summers and is one of the more borer-prone birches south of its comfort zone, so plant it in full sun with reliably moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil and keep it well watered through establishment; drought and heat stress are what open the door to bronze birch borer. It naturally colonizes disturbed and burned ground as an early-successional pioneer species and casts light shade, so it pairs well with shade-tolerant woodland underplanting.
Fungal leaf spot
Brown or purplish spots on the leaves, often ringed with a yellow halo, that spread and merge in warm, humid, or wet weather; heavily spotted leaves yellow and drop early.
Pick off spotted leaves and clear fallen debris to remove overwintering spores. Improve air circulation by thinning, and water at the base so foliage dries quickly. If it persists, apply a copper- or sulfur-based fungicide at the first sign.