For the third phenology assignment this semester, I identified a paper birch (Betula papyrifera) tree at my site. The bark on this mature paper birch was white and peeling on one side, with moss and scaly / rough brown dark on the other. The twigs and buds of the tree were slender, a dull red-brown color, with numerous lighter lenticels. All of its leaves were shed and part of the tree was covered by snow. I was able to rule out river birch because the tree did not have pale pink and brown/gray colored bark or curled paper scales. I knew that the tree wasn’t yellow or gray birch because it lacked the coloring and triangular dark patches.