4 White Bark Trees In Michigan (Pictures & Identification)

Wondering what was that tree species with white bark that you encountered on your last hike in Michigan forests? If yes, then this is the right place to be.

There are only four trees in Michigan with white bark. Furthermore, each tree is unique and comes from a different species.

In this article, I will walk you through the four commonly seen white bark trees in Michigan, along with their pictures and identification details. 

So, let’s get started.

1. Sycamore

• Common Name: Sycamore
• Scientific Name: Platanus occidentalis
• Mature Height: 60-90 feet
• Flowers/Cones: Light brown round aggregate of many nutlets
• Uses: Ornamental trees in landscapes or parks

The Sycamore tree is unique in Michigan because of its gigantic white trunk, which is greater in diameter than any other tree in the state. This, combined with its open, widely spread crown, makes it immediately distinguishable. 

Its simple, triangular leaves are bright green above and lighter below, with a wavy coarsely serrated edge and three noticeable veins.

This fast-growing tree prefers damp soils and lush bottomlands and can be found in old fields or beside streams. The tree’s limbs are frequently twisted, making it simple to climb. 

Furthermore, many animals and birds use the hollow trunks of great ancient trees as homes, making them an important part of the ecosystem.

While the fruit of the Sycamore is a light brown spherical aggregation of numerous nutlets, its bark steals the show. The bark is smooth and pale white in hue, peeling off in big thin portions to reveal green and cream-to-white inner bark. This results in a mottled appearance, with the bark at the base of the tree often being much darker than the top bark.

2. Paper Birch

• Common Name: Paper Birch
• Scientific Name: Betula papyrifera
• Mature Height: 40-60 feet 
• Flowers/Cones: Catkin-like flowers
• Uses: Ornamental, canoes, baskets, etc

Paper birch (Betula papyrifera), often known as White birch or Canoe Birch, is a widespread tree found in northern North America. Because it is an understory tree, it prefers high humidity and moist soils. 

The tree has crooked trunks, drooping limbs, and an open thin crown, reaching a mature height of 40-60 feet. Its double-toothed, oval to triangular, pointed-tip leaves are dull green above and whiter below, with 18 or fewer veins, each culminating in a big tooth. 

Paper birch trees are the most commonly found white bark trees in Michigan. The bark is smooth, and it sheds in curled sheets that reveal visible black horizontal lines known as lenticels. The tree is frequently stressed, which allows destructive Bronze Birch Borers to attack it.

The bark of the tree is valuable to American Indians, who use it to make canoes, baskets, and water containers. The bark can also be used to light campfires. Male and female blooms coexist on the same tree, which produces winged nutlets in the early winter. 

The tree produces catkins that are about 1-2″ long and have several winged nutlets that are 1/8″ broad. The paper birch’s brilliant yellow fall color is a sight to behold in the autumn. It is a native tree that thrives in damp soils and has an average lifespan of 80-100 years. 

It thrives throughout the Upper Peninsula and the northern two-thirds of the Lower Peninsula, and it is widely used as a decorative tree in urban areas and parks. It does not, however, grow well in residential lawns when planted alone in full sun.

3. Bigtooth Aspen

• Common Name: Bigtooth Aspen
• Scientific Name: Populus grandidentata
• Mature Height: 50-70 feet (15-21 meters)
• Flowers/Cones: Catkin-like flowers
• Uses: Pulpwood and lumber, habitat for wildlife, and erosion control

Bigtooth Aspen, which is also called Largetooth Aspen, is a fast-growing tree with a short life span that grows all over the northern hemisphere. 

It has a single stem and few lower branches, as well as a spherical, uneven crown. Simple, oval to triangular, alternating leaves with a blunt apex and 30-34 big saw-like teeth. 

The leaves are covered with fuzzy hairs in the spring, which thicken and turn waxy by summer. The leafstalk is flattened and frequently as long as the leaf itself. Its massive leaves rustle in the slightest air, making a soothing sound.

Every three to five years, Bigtooth Aspen generates a large amount of seed. Masculine and female flowers bloom on different trees. The catkin-like flowers and fruits are made up of a slew of small thin capsules that crack apart to reveal cottony seeds. In the fall, it becomes yellow. 

It is native to Michigan and grows best in damp soils. It is frequently used for pulpwood and lumber, erosion management, and animal habitat.

Its distinctive characteristics, such as the long flattened leafstalk and huge teeth on the leaves, make it a fascinating tree to examine. Because of its rapid growth and short lifespan, it is useful for timber and pulpwood, and its importance in providing wildlife habitat and preventing soil erosion cannot be overemphasized.

4. White Poplar

• Common Name: White Poplar
• Scientific Name: Populus alba
• Mature Height: 40-60 feet 
• Flowers/Cones: Catkin-like flowers
• Uses: Pulpwood and lumber, firewood, landscaping

The White Poplar (Populus alba), also known as Silver-leaf Poplar or European White Poplar, is a medium-sized tree with a widely spreading crown that can grow to a height of 40-60 feet (12-18 meters). 

The lobed, maple-shaped leaves of the tree are light green above and chalky white underneath, coated with white hairs and silky white when young. The bark of the tree is dark brown and extensively wrinkled towards the base, with a white upper half and black horizontal lines (lenticels) that give it a distinct appearance.

White Poplar has catkin-like flowers that are 2-3 inches (5-7.5 cm) long and are made up of multiple tiny blossoms, as well as catkin-like fruit that contains many tiny cottony seeds. In the fall, the tree’s leaves turn yellow to brown, adding to its aesthetic value.

White Poplar trees are the only non-native white bark trees in the Michigan region. They were introduced to the United States from Europe more than a century ago. It is a fast-growing tree that grows well in a wide range of soils and sunshine conditions. The tree can be found in parks, yards, and along highways all around Michigan.

The White Poplar is used for a variety of purposes, including timber, pulpwood, and firewood. Its rapid growth rate and versatility make it an excellent choice for landscaping as well. Despite its popularity, the White Poplar has several disadvantages, such as a shallow root system that can cause damage to sidewalks and driveways.

White Bark Trees In Michigan – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

There are many misconceptions about white bark trees in Michigan, which has led to an increase in the number of questions asked in various forums. This section answers some of the most frequently asked questions.

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Sources

The Regional Gardening team makes sure that the information in our articles is accurate by only using sources that are known to be trustworthy. Some of these sources are peer-reviewed journals from government agencies, well-known universities, and scientific research organizations.

1. Book – Michigan Trees A Guide to the Trees of the Great Lakes Region
2. Book – Field Manual of Michigan Flora
3. Book – Trees Of Michigan Field Guide
4. Michigan’s Forests, Department of Natural Resources
5. Michigan Botanical Society
6. LSA Herbarium, University Of Michigan
7. Department Of Forestry, Michigan State University
8. Michigan Nature Association