Paper birch is an iconic species found in the northern half of the United States. It is hardy in zones 2-7. It can max out growth at 70 feet tall with a crown spread of up to 35 feet or so. It can be a fast grower, especially in the first few years in the ground at 13 to 24 inches grown per year.

As a pioneer species (first to colonate in a field) it loves full sun and is very shade intolerant. The paper birch grows well in acidic, loamy, moist, sandy, well-drained and clay soils. While it prefers normal moisture, the tree has some drought tolerance.

Valuable tree for many bird species. Deer will eat its yellow leaves in the fall and yellow-bellied sapsuckers especially love birch trees. Game bird species like the grouse tend to favor the catkins, or flowers, that form by the end of the summer.