white birch

white birch
1. the European birch, Betula pendula, yielding a hard wood.
2. See paper birch.
[1780-90]

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▪ tree group
  any of several species of ornamental and timber trees of the genus Betula, in the family Betulaceae. The trees are native to cool regions of the Northern Hemisphere and have white, peeling bark. The name white birch also refers to paper birch.

      One species of white birch, B. pubescens, is a tree about 18 m (60 feet) tall and is native to Eurasia. It has egg-shaped leaves, usually hairy below. The soft, yellowish- or reddish-white wood is commercially important in construction and in the manufacture of vehicles, furniture, and small articles such as spoons and snowshoes.

      The European white birch (B. pendula, sometimes erroneously called B. alba), also known as silver birch or common birch, has slender, drooping branches and small, sharp-pointed leaves about 6 cm (2 inches) long. It may grow to a height of 15 m on light soils. The cut-leaved, purple-leaved, and weeping birches are popular ornamental varieties of European white birch.

      The Japanese white birch (B. platyphylla japonica), an 18-metre tree native to eastern Asia, has broad leaves about 7 cm long; its hard, yellow-white wood is used for furniture and woodenware.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • white birch — n. ☆ 1. PAPER BIRCH 2. a European birch (Betula pendula) with silvery white bark, widely grown in the U.S …   English World dictionary

  • white birch — white′ birch′ n. 1) pln the European birch, Betula pendula, yielding a hard wood 2) pln paper birch • Etymology: 1780–90 …   From formal English to slang

  • White Birch — may refer to:* Betula papyrifera * Betula pendula * Shirakaba , a Japanese literary group …   Wikipedia

  • white birch — noun European birch with dull white to pale brown bark and somewhat drooping hairy branches • Syn: ↑downy birch, ↑Betula pubescens • Hypernyms: ↑birch, ↑birch tree • Member Holonyms: ↑Betula, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • white birch — plaukuotasis beržas statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Beržinių šeimos dekoratyvinis, medieninis, vaistinis augalas (Betula pubescens), paplitęs Europoje, Azijoje, Šiaurės Amerikoje (Grenlandijoje). atitikmenys: lot. Betula pubescens angl.… …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • white birch — popieržievis beržas statusas T sritis vardynas apibrėžtis Beržinių šeimos dekoratyvinis, medieninis, vaistinis augalas (Betula papyrifera), paplitęs Šiaurės Amerikoje. atitikmenys: lot. Betula papyrifera angl. canoe birch; paper birch; paper bark …   Lithuanian dictionary (lietuvių žodynas)

  • white birch — /waɪt ˈbɜtʃ/ (say wuyt berch) noun 1. Also, white cherry. a medium to tall tree with creamy white edible drupes, Schizomeria ovata, of subtropical and temperate forests of the east coast of Australia; timber used for veneer panelling in the… …  

  • white birch — noun Date: 1789 1. paper birch; also gray birch 2. either of two Eurasian birches (Betula pubescens and B. pendula) with white or ash colored bark that are often planted as ornamentals in the United States …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • European white birch — noun European birch with silvery white peeling bark and markedly drooping branches • Syn: ↑silver birch, ↑common birch, ↑Betula pendula • Hypernyms: ↑birch, ↑birch tree • Member Holonyms: ↑Bet …   Useful english dictionary

  • The White Birch — Infobox Album Name = The White Birch Type = studio Artist = Codeine Released = Recorded = 1994 Genre = Slowcore Length = Label = Producer = Reviews = Last album = This album = Next album = The White Birch is a 1994 album by the New York band… …   Wikipedia

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