Masur Birch
Description
A deciduous tree up to 100' in native areas, but more generally 40' to 60' tall and 20' to 40' wide, pyramidal when young and oval/pyramidal when mature. Generally somewhat pendulous branches at all ages, but main trunk is upright.
Rapid growth for first 20 years and mature at 40 years.
Alternate, dark green simple leaves, 1" to 3" long by 0.75" to 1.5" wide, tapered apex, wedge-shaped base, doubly serrate margins, leaf surfaces dotted with glands; lack pubescence.
Autumn Foliage yellow or yellow-green
Flowers bloom in April, but catkins visible before then, male catkins in mostly twos, but singly or in three's; 1.5" to 3.5" long, female catkins 0.75" to 1.25" long.
The fruit are small nutlets held in cylindrical catkins.
The bark on the main trunk and large branches is white with prominent black vertical fissures; very showy whereas the young twigs are quite warty and brown in colour.
Max age 60 - 80 years.
Timber
A lustrous white to pale fawn in colour and easily worked. It is straight-grained, flexible and tough but not very strong.
Masur, ice or flame birch displays distinctive figuring which makes it useful for turning and veneers.
Trees in Britain are commonly rotten in the centre reducing usefulness.