Most of my greatest pleasures have something to do with wandering around in the woods and fields of Antrim County, dipping down to the creeks and the riverbanks, peering into the depths of the lakes, walking the shores of Grand Traverse Bay. I keep an eye out for wildflowers, clouds, birds, furry critters, salamanders, trees, rocks . . . you get the idea. I like to take their pictures, and I like to compare, say, the first Trillium Sighting of 2012 with the first of 2011 and 2010 and so on.
I thought it would be nice to have an index page for easy reference. Where was that Indian Pipe anyway, and when was it in bloom? Don’t we have a picture of a funny little orchid around here somewhere? And then there are the Mystery Plants – and the ones that are no mystery but that I can’t seem to capture. I can ask you about those. You might have answers, or you might have photos that you’d like to contribute to the cause. You can check out Mama Nature’s Index Page here. Feedback will be most welcome, as I’d like to make it useful for all of us.
And now for a Mystery Tree. [Update: I think it’s a European White Birch, Betula pendula.]
When I was in Elk Rapids the other day playing around with a borrowed little camera (thanks, Babs!) I happened upon this beguiling specimen.
Not a gray birch but probably a European white birch (a/k/a European weeping birch – Betula pendula
I thought it was a very attractive tree, sort of a cross between a weeping willow and a paper birch. The markings on the bark were striking.
The leaves were just beginning to emerge. Apparently the catkins bud as upright little candles. [Update: wrong again. The upright catkins are female flowers, the drooping ones male.]
When they grow heavy enough they form dangling flowers. [Update: wrong. See above.]
Everything I think I know about this tree I learned by using a Tree Identification Key from Michigan State University’s Forestry Department. When I arrived at the Gray Birch there was a link to the USDA Plants database where there were several useful images and more information on Betula populifolia Marsh. That’s my semi-educated guess. I will be pleased to hear if you have a better one. [Update: I clearly should have worked harder on this before pressing Publish. The story of my life. I have now added two new sources and am reasonably sure the tree is a European White Birch, a/k/a European weeping birch, Betula pendula. Sigh. I should go back to posting “Tiny pink flower” and “Large brown bird” identifications.]
Useful tree identification sites:
Torch Lake Views 
sybiln
May 5, 2012
how about a young quaking aspen ?
I’d love to go for a walk with you … but I guess, in a way, I just did.
I’ll put the kettle on and make us some tea.
Gerry
May 5, 2012
Always a good plan. The tea.
Aspen was a good suggestion. I looked at a lot of aspens and birch looks like a better bet to me. However, based on Virginia Tech’s VTreeID site, which I just discovered, I’m thinking maybe it’s Betula pendula (European weeping birch). AND I found out that the upright catkins are female and the drooping ones male. And I still don’t know what I’m talking about.
Except for the tea part. That still sounds good.
Gerry
May 5, 2012
Oh yes – definitely B. pendula – the University of Connecticut horticulture pages have a very good description that makes it almost certain. See, I should have waited until I read all this stuff but I was busy playing around with the Index Page. Irresponsible, that’s what it was.
P.j. grath
May 5, 2012
I’d say definitely birch, not aspen. Quaking aspen, locally known as popple, has a duller, grey-green bark. The species name, tremuloides, speaks to the quaking. Birches rustle, but aspen are more talkative, more like people, hence (this is MY guess, Gerry!) the genus name Populus.
You are very brave to go out on a limb (ahem!) and guess in public. I held back one of my little sketches on the latest Home Ground post because I’d scrawled next to it, “Wild cherry?” This evening I almost crossed that out and substituted “Dogwood?” and took another picture of the sketch, but I’m still holding back. I admire your gutsier approach.
Gerry
May 5, 2012
Except that now I’ve been adding embarrassing updates . . . and then there’s the matter of vernacular names confusing the issue. Sigh. Readers seem to have fun helping me dig myself out of holes so that’s all right then.
I’m interested to know what you decide about your sketch, because I have some photos of what someone told me was Wild Cherry–but I can’t find any confirmation from an Authoritative Source.
Begging the question of whether any of this matters or not. Bet the mystery birch tree’s Ojibwe name is something like “white bark with black diamonds.” Now that would be clear.
Heather
May 5, 2012
I like that you post your best guess and update as information presents itself. After all – you suspected one thing, and it turned out to be another, and that’s kind of a fun story in itself. As far as aspens and birch go, I have the hardest time telling them apart. We did not have nearly so many varieties where I grew up, so they are all new (and beautiful!) to me.
Gerry
May 5, 2012
I make a wonderful case study for people whose hobby is watching thought processes unravel. Ah well. Sometimes, for all practical purposes, we might be just fine with “Pine” and “Maple” and “Birch” and never mind the fine distinctions. But Why? has always been my favorite question.
Dawn
May 5, 2012
I don’t think updates should be considered embarrassing….just educational. I’m always learning something here…one of the reasons I stop by. That and the photos. And the dogs. And of course you.
Gerry
May 5, 2012
Today we learned to be patient and take our time . . . OK, maybe not.
shoreacres
May 5, 2012
It’s a gorgeous tree. When you mentioned “paper birch”, I remembered the little stand of birch in my growing-up yard in Iowa. I suspect that was paper birch, because the bark peeled off in thin sheets. That’s a hunch, not evidence. I loved that tree.
I’ve never seen a tree with bark like this. It’s so striking. What I really like is your tag: “Gray birch – maybe”. Puts me in mind of Annie Dillard and her insistence on the necessarily provisional nature of all reality. Be ready to adjust, she says – because you’re going to have to.
Gerry
May 6, 2012
Birches are easy to love. They’re fragile, too, and don’t live long, but they are so pretty. My yard–or the woodlot that passes for my yard–is full of paper birches. When the sun falls on that white, white bark it’s a lovely sight. Meanwhile I’ve discovered that there is a big debate about whether the tree should be called a White Birch or a Silver Birch but in either case it’s Betula pendula and I’m stickin’ to it.
Thank you for the bit of Annie Dillard. I think it’s about time to re-read Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. I’ll get stuck on the toad again, but it’ll be worth it.
Karma
May 6, 2012
Little pink flowers and big brown birds work for me! 🙂
Gerry
May 6, 2012
I knew I could count on you! Better to know the flower and the bird and to greet them as returning friends–or foes, depending!–than to know only the names in a dead language. Best of all to know both, I suspect. So here we work our little compromises.
kiwidutch
May 6, 2012
“tree” “little pink flowers” etc are also good… I have to admit that my depth of botanical knowledge is so exceptionally shallow I am never in danger of drowning in it so the technical stuff is the icing on the cake… and clearly I eat more cake more than icing 🙂
Gerry
May 6, 2012
I, um, eat a great deal too much of both–with a scoop of ice cream.
I’m sitting here trying to decide whether to include Mosquitoes and Midges on Mama Nature’s Index Page. I think I’ll try to get a photo of a Purple Martin first. That way I have something in place to eat them if they get out of hand.
uphilldowndale
May 6, 2012
Whatever the tree was botanically, around here we’d call it a silver birch. I’m in favour of ‘good enough botany’ and ‘good enough decorating’ .
Gerry
May 6, 2012
Whew. That’s a relief. Now I think I’d better go do the vacuuming.
flandrumhill
May 20, 2012
I like that concept of ‘good enough botany’ and ‘good enough decorating’ suits me too. Considering all that’s going on in the world, we should be pretty thrilled with ‘good enough anything.’
Gerry, I didn’t know that about catkins. I’ve been hoping to write a post about them once I get another image or two to share.
Not sure what kind of birch that is, but it’s lovely. I have white and yellow birch in my yard and they’re not half as photogenic as that one.
Gerry
May 20, 2012
I didn’t know about the catkins either. Everything I know I learned by making mistakes. Isn’t that a pretty birch tree though? Birch. Birch is good.