Betula pubescens Betula pubescens Betula pubescens (syn. "Betula alba"), commonly known as downy birch and also as moor birch, white birch, European white birch or hairy birch, is a species of deciduous tree, native and abundant throughout northern Europe and northern Asia, growing farther north than any other broadleaf tree. It is closely related to, and often confused with, the silver birch ("B. pendula"), but grows in wetter places with heavier soils and poorer drainage; smaller trees can also be confused with the dwarf birch ("B. nana"). Three varieties are recognised and it hybridises with the silver and dwarf birches. A number
Northern Hemisphere Northern Hemisphere The Northern Hemisphere is the half of Earth that is north of the Equator. For other planets in the Solar System, north is defined as being in the same celestial hemisphere relative to the invariable plane of the solar system as Earth's North Pole. Owing to the Earth's axial tilt, winter in the Northern Hemisphere lasts from the December solstice (typically December 21 UTC) to the March equinox (typically March 20 UTC), while summer lasts from the June solstice through to the September equinox (typically September 23 UTC). The dates vary each year due to the difference between