Thew Arctic Birch Tree

The Birch Tree is called Semida in Greek, a birke tree, in Dutch and, ein birck baum in German.

If the Beech contended for the rank of queen it earned the title of queen of the woods.

Soils Much of the Arctic Region has dirt with a frozen layer and permafrost exists where the soil thaws out down to 39 inches in the summer time. Tundra soils have organic matter or peat that hasn't decayed. The most fertile soil in the north country is the Arctic brown soil, detected in protected regions on warm, well-drained sites. The Birch grows in damp places with light soils and good drainage.

The Birch expanded into the Arctic latitudes. The Canoe, or Paper Birch is a variety of stunted White Birch, and grows within the Arctic Circle.

Betula alba extends farther north than any other Birch tree. The Birches is a catkin bearing trees being nearly two inches long, with five pollen bearing organs to each flower with its winged fruits. Each flower has two forked pollen bearing organisms. The female catkins are shorter, and are at first erect. The little fruits have a flat, broad coated wing, that the wind scatters.

One plant in the northern cold areas that takes advantage of the fertile Arctic brown soil is the Arctic Birch. Trees of The Arctic Regions often form vast forests. In the Arctic Regions the Birches take on a bushy form.

Among the exquisite trees of North America are the birches and one of the better known is the Canoe Birch or Paper Birch,

History noted the significance of the canoe in the story of Canada and the Great Lakes territory. Man could not explore and exploit the north country without the birch bark canoe. Explorers, businessmen, and missionaries used the birch bark canoe to travel water routes into the interior of the north country. The birch bark canoe was good-looking and plain in lay out as it was useful. Historians say the birch bark canoe is one of the finest boons of the peoples of the north country who explored these areas. Longfellow's Poem, "Song of Hiawatha," honors the Birch Canoe.

"Thus the Birch Canoe was builded In the valley, by the river, In the bosom of the forest; And the forest's life was in it, All its mystery and its magic, All the lightness of the birch-tree, All the toughness of the cedar,

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