Betula pubescens

Deciduous tree.

8–20 m high.

The tree has a single bole or multiple boles. The bark is white and black-striate papery exfoliating bark. There is no dark bark at the base of the bole. The apices of old twigs are occasionally pendent. The annual shoots are pubescent and without tubercles

The leaf arrangement is spiral. The lamina is simple, 1.5–6 cm long, ovate, short-acuminate and serrate.

The plant is monoecious and flowers after the budding of the leaves. The inflorescence is a catkin formed by numerous two- or three-floreted cymules. The flowers are unisexual, small, achlamydeous or the perianth is minute. Staminate and pistillate flowers are in separate catkins.

The fruit is a winged, small, flat achene. The achene is pubescent at the apex. The wings are as wide as the achene. The fruit-bearing catkins disintegrate as the fruits abscise.