Species guide

Silver birch

Harmless

Betula pendula

Silver birch
Photo: Anastasia_Surkova · CC BY

How to recognise it

A slender tree with bright white papery bark marked by black diamond-shaped fissures, drooping branch tips, and small triangular, toothed leaves.

Is it dangerous?

Harmless to touch. Its spring pollen is a common hay-fever trigger.

Recorded 995,594 times in the wild worldwide.

Think you've spotted one?

Photograph it and let SpecieSense confirm the species — and show you the reasoning.

Identify a specimen

Related species guides