The Paper Birch, slender and elegant, with its intensely white bark, is visible even in the dark of night. The tough outer wrapping of the tree is the bark from which American Indians fashioned their strong, lightweight bark canoes. These Native Americans, as well as early colonists and European herbalists, all agreed that birch leaves were therapeutic and all prescribed them for many disorders. The leaves and twigs of some birches boast a spicy aroma and are used to make scented oil. Because of their singular beauty, they have been designated National Memorial Tree for Mothers and as such were planted on the Capitol grounds in Washington, DC.
