White Trees- Part II

 


I have several friends who keep looking at trees with light trunks and calling them white birch when they are really quaking aspen. Do you have trouble telling them apart, too? The picture above is of quaking aspen, Populus tremuloides. But those trunks sure look white, don't they?

Here is a clump of quaking aspen with one white birch mixed in. Can you tell which one?



I know, that was hard! The white birch is the one on the left. You can't even see the trunks very well, there is so much foliage. Here is a closer view of the leaves.



Now you can begin to see some of the difference. Notice how the leaves on the left are a little bit lighter green and more finely cut? Now you are getting really observant! Finally, here's a closeup. Notice that the birch leaves are narrower, and hang down while the aspen leaves seem to be going every which way. The aspen are darker green too!



What white trees have you seen lately?

	See White Trees- Part III
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