Birch is a broadleaved deciduous hardwood tree of the genus Betula
They are small to medium-sized trees or shrubs, mostly of temperate climates. The simple leaves are alternate, singly or doubly serrate,
feather-veined, petiolate and stipulate.
Food
The inner bark of the birch tree can be eaten raw or made
into strips and boiled like noodles.
Dry the birch bark than
ground to make flour for bread, or
soaked, boiled and ground into paste. As
well the inner bark also makes a nice tea that's high in vitamin
C.
Collect young leaves in early spring between April and May, allow to dry and boil into a tea to stimulate the liver, kidneys and gall bladder. The Birch Tea can be consumed for three weeks as a spring detox. The leaves can also be eaten raw.
Useful Items
Tinder
Medicinal Use
An infusion created from the leaves has been used as a diuretic and cleansing agent to the urinary tract.
The bark and twigs of the birch tree have qualities very similar to Wintergreen. They can be made into a drink as it aids in purification of the blood
Footwear
from the bark of the birch tree. The shoes are woven and fitted to the shape of a foot.