The Repurposing Life

Birch Essential Oil Health and Beauty Benefits

A birch is a thin–leaved deciduous (sheds leaves in autumn) hardwood (wood from dicot trees) of the genus Betula (/ˈbɛtjʊlə/), in the family Betulaceae. The essential oil extracted from birch has broad health and beauty benefits. There are numerous therapeutic uses for birch essential oil. Check out our post listing various homemade Birch Essential Oil Recipes.

The family Betulaceae also includes alders, hazels, and hornbeams, and is closely related to the beech–oak family Fagaceae. The genus Betula contains 30 to 60 known taxa of which 11 are on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) 2011 Red List of Threatened Species.  

Name	Scientific Name	Origin	Benefits	Caution	Storage
Birch	Betula pendula, Betula lenta	Northern Hemisphere, in areas of temperate and boreal climates	Aromatherapy, Mental Health, Relieves Pain, Relieves Symptoms of Arthritis and Rheumatism, Detoxifies the Body, Diuretic, Supports Metabolism, Aids in Weight Loss, Manages Diabetes, Upper Respiratory Health, Prevents Infections, Heals Wounds, Treats Skin Diseases, Promotes Skin, Hair and Oral Health	Keep out of reach of children. Do not use if pregnant or nursing. Avoid if taking blood thinners, are about to have surgery, have hypertension, heart problems or diseases, bleeding disorders, gastrointestinal disorders,  Parkinson’s, seizure or epileptic disorders, or ADD/ADHD. Avoid if you have a salicylate deficiency or hypersensitivity. Possible skin sensitivity. Best to use at a dilution no greater than 2.5%.	Airtight dark glass kept in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.

Description of Birch Trees

They are a typically rather short–lived pioneer species widespread in the Northern Hemisphere, particularly in northern areas of temperate climates (occurring in the middle latitudes between the tropics and the Polar Regions) and in boreal climates (characterized by long, cold winters, and short, warm summers, occurring on large landmasses away from oceans). Pioneer species are hardy species which are the first to colonize barren environments or previously biodiverse steady–state ecosystems that have been disrupted, such as by fire.

Leaves

Birch species are generally small to medium–sized trees or shrubs. The simple leaves are alternate, singly or doubly serrate, feather–veined, petiolate and stipulate. They often appear in pairs, but these pairs are really borne on spur–like, two–leaved, lateral branchlets. 

Fruit

The fruit is a small samara (a winged achene, a simple, indehiscent dry fruit), although the wings may be obscure in some species. They differ from the alders in that the female catkins (a slim flower cluster without petals) are not woody and disintegrate at maturity, falling apart to release the seeds, unlike the woody, cone–like female alder catkins.

Flowers

The flowers are monoecious (separate male and female flowers are present on the same plant), opening with or before the leaves. Once fully grown, these leaves are usually 3–6 millimeters (⅛–¼ in) long on three–flowered clusters in the axils of the scales of drooping or erect catkins. Staminate catkins are pendulous, clustered, or solitary in the axils of the last leaves of the branch of the year or near the ends of the short lateral branchlets of the year.

They form in early autumn and remain rigid during the winter. The scales of the mature staminate catkins are broadly ovate, rounded, yellow or orange color below the middle and dark chestnut brown at the apex. Each scale bears two bractlets and three sterile flowers, each flower consisting of a sessile, membranous, usually two–lobed, calyx. Each calyx bears four short filaments with one–celled anthers or strictly, two filaments divided into two branches, each bearing a half–anther. Anther cells open longitudinally.

The pistillate segments are erect or pendulous, and solitary, terminal on the two–leaved lateral spur–like branchlets of the year. The pistillate scales are oblong–ovate, three–lobed, pale yellow–green often tinged with red, becoming brown at maturity. These scales bear two or three fertile flowers, each flower consisting of a naked ovary. The ovary is compressed, two–celled, and crowned with two slender styles; the ovule is solitary. Each scale bears a single small, winged nut that is oval, with two persistent stigmas at the apex.

Bark

The bark of all birches is characteristically marked with long, horizontal lenticels (porous tissue consisting of cells with large intercellular spaces), and often separates into thin, papery plates, especially upon the paper birch (Betula papyrifera). The strong and water–resistant cardboard–like bark can be easily cut, bent, and sewn, which has made it a valuable material, since pre–historic (pre–literary history) times.

Distinctive colors give the common names gray (Betula populifolia), white (Betula papyrifera), black (Betula dahurica, Betula lenta), silver (Betula pendula, formerly known as Betula alba) and yellow (Betula alleghaniensis) birch to different species. The buds, forming early and full–grown by midsummer, are all lateral, without a terminal bud forming; the branch is prolonged by the upper lateral bud. The wood of all the species is close–grained with a satiny texture and capable of taking a fine polish.

Because birches are on the list of threatened species and because removing the bark from live trees is harmful, it must be avoided. Instead, the bark can be removed easily from the trunk or branches of dead wood, by cutting a swath lengthwise through the bark and pulling or prying it away from the wood. The best time for collection is spring or early summer, as the bark is of better quality and most easily removed. Removing the outer (light) layer of bark from the trunk of a living tree may not kill it quickly, but it will weaken it and make it prone to infections. Removal of the inner (dark) layer or phloem (the living tissue in plants that transports the sugar sucrose made during photosynthesis throughout the plant), kills the tree by preventing the flow of sap to the roots.

Essential Oil

While all birch tree varieties share similar chemical composition, birch essential oil usage varies depending on the tree variety of extraction. Boasting of a smooth and rich aroma, birch essential oil is derived from sweet birch (Betula lenta) and white birch (Betula pendula). The scent of birch essential oil lacks the “woody” aroma of other tree essential oils. Instead, it has a mint–like scent similar to that of wintergreen. Birch essential oil is extracted from the bark of the birch tree through the process of steam distillation.

Sweet birch is approximately 25 meters long with a cone–shaped appearance. It is native to southern Canada and the southeastern U.S. Its leaves are bright green and the bark is a reddish–brown. White birch has slender scaly branches and is native to the Northern Hemisphere. It is about 20 meters long with light green egg–shaped leaves.

The Taxonomy of Birch

Betula species are organized into five subgenera.

Birches Native to Europe	Birches Native to Asia	Birches Native to North America
Betula baschkirica (eastern European Russia) Betula browicziana (Turkey and Georgia) Betula celtiberica (Spain) Betula coriaceifolia (Uzbekistan) Betula ermanii Erman’s birch (eastern Siberia, Russian Far East, northeastern China, Korea, Japan) Betula falcata (Tajikistan) Betula fruticosa (eastern Siberia, Russian Far East, northeastern China, Mongolia, Korea, Japan) Betula humilis or Betula kamtschatica Kamchatka birch platyphylla (northern & central Europe, Siberia, Kazakhstan, Xinjiang, Mongolia, Korea) Betula karagandensis (Kazakhstan) Betula klokovii (Ukraine) Betula kotulae (Ukraine) Betula medwediewii Caucasian birch (Turkey, Iran, Caucasus) Betula megrelica (Republic of Georgia) Betula microphylla (Siberia, Mongolia, Xinjiang, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan) Betula nana dwarf birch (northern & central Europe, Russia, Siberia, Greenland, Northwest Territories of Canada)) Betula pendula silver birch (widespread in Europe and northern Asia; Morocco; naturalized in New Zealand and scattered locations in US & Canada) Betula platyphylla (Betula pendula var. platyphylla) Siberian silver birch (Siberia, Russian Far East, Manchuria, Korea, Japan, Alaska, western Canada) Betula potamophila (Tajikistan) Betula psammophila (Kazakhstan) Betula pubescens downy birch, also known as white, European white or hairy birch (Europe, Siberia, Greenland, Newfoundland; naturalized in scattered locations in US) Betula raddeana (Caucasus) Betula saksarensis (Khakassiya region of Siberia) Betula saviczii (Kazakhstan) Betula tianshanica (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Xinjiang, Mongolia) Betula zinserlingii (Kyrgyzstan)	Betula albosinensis Chinese red birch (northern & central China) Betula alnoides alder–leaf birch (China, Himalayas, northern Indochina) Betula ashburneri (Bhutan, Tibet, Sichuan, Yunnan Provinces in China) Betula bomiensis (Tibet) Betula buggsii (China) Betula calcicola (Sichuan & Yunnan Provinces in China) Betula chichibuensis (Chichibu, Saitama Prefecture region of Japan) Betula chinensis Chinese dwarf birch (China, Korea) Betula corylifolia (Honshu Island in Japan) Betula costata (northeastern China, Korea, Primorye region of Russia) Betula cylindrostachya (Himalayas, southern China, Myanmar) Betula dahurica (eastern Siberia, Russian Far East, northeastern China, Mongolia, Korea, Japan) Betula delavayi (Tibet, southern China) Betula fargesii (Chongqing & Hubei Provinces in China) Betula globispica (Honshu Island in Japan) Betula gmelinii (Siberia, Mongolia, northeastern China, Korea, Hokkaido Island in Japan) Betula grossa Japanese cherry birch (Japan) Betula gynoterminalis (Yunnan Province in China) Betula honanensis (Henan Province in China) Betula insignis (southern China) Betula luminifera (China) Betula maximowicziana monarch birch (Japan, Kuril Islands) Betula potaninii (southern China) Betula schmidtii (northeastern China, Korea, Japan, Primorye region of Russia) Betula sunanensis (Gansu Province of China) Betula szechuanica (Betula pendula var. szechuanica) Sichuan birch (Tibet, southern China) Betula utilis Himalayan birch (Afghanistan, Central Asia, China, China, Tibet, Himalayas) Betula wuyiensis (Fujian Province of China)	Betula alleghaniensis yellow birch (B. lutea) (eastern Canada, Great Lakes, upper eastern US, Appalachians) Betula caerulea blue birch (northeast of North America) Betula cordifolia mountain paper birch (eastern Canada, Great Lakes, New England US) Betula glandulosa American dwarf birch (Siberia, Mongolia, Russian Far East, Alaska, Canada, Greenland, mountains of western US and New England, Adirondacks) Betula lenta sweet birch, cherry birch, or black birch (Quebec, Ontario, eastern US) Betula michauxii Newfoundland dwarf birch (Newfoundland, Labrador, Quebec, Nova Scotia) Betula minor dwarf white birch (eastern Canada, mountains of northern New England and Adirondacks) Betula murrayana Murray’s birch (Great Lakes endemic) Betula nana dwarf birch or bog birch (also in northern Europe and Asia) Betula neoalaskana Alaska paper birch also known as Alaska birch or Resin birch (Alaska and northern Canada) Betula nigra river birch or black birch (eastern US) Betula occidentalis water birch or red birch (B. fontinalis) (Alaska, Yukon, Northwest Territories, western Canada, western US) Betula papyrifera paper birch, canoe birch or American white birch (Alaska, most of Canada, northern US) Betula populifolia gray birch (eastern Canada, northeastern US) Betula pumila swamp birch (Alaska, Canada, northern US) Betula uber Virginia round–leaf birch (southwestern Virginia)

The Etymology of Birch

The common name birch comes from Old English birce, bierce, from Proto–Germanic *berk–jōn (cf. German Birke, West Frisian bjirk), an adjectival formation from *berkōn (cf. Dutch berk, Low German (or Low Saxon) Bark, Danish birk, Norwegian bjørk), itself from the Proto–Indo–European (PIE) root *bʰerHǵ–~ bʰrHǵ–, which also gave Lithuanian béržas, Latvian Bērzs, Russian berëza, Ukrainian beréza, Albanian bredh “fir”, Ossetian bærz(æ), Sanskrit bhurja, Polish brzoza, Latin fraxinus “ash (tree)”. This root is presumably derived from *bʰreh₁ǵ– “to shine, whiten”, in reference to the birch’s white bark. The Proto–Germanic rune (letter representing a sound value) berkanan (the name of the b rune “ᛒ”) is named after the birch.

The generic name Betula is from Latin, which is a diminutive (a root word that has been modified to convey a slighter degree of its root meaning) borrowed from Gaulish (an ancient Celtic language spoken in parts of Europe before and during the Roman Empire) betua (cf. Old Irish bethe, Welsh bedw).

The Evolutionary History of Birch

Within Betulaceae, birches are most closely related to alder. The oldest known birch fossils are those of Betula leopoldae (an extinct species of birch) from the Klondike Mountain Formation in Washington State, U.S., which date to the early Eocene (the second geological epoch of the Paleogene Period in the modern Cenozoic Era) Ypresian (the oldest age or lowest stratigraphic stage of the Eocene), around 49 million years ago.

The Ecology of Birch

Birches often form even–aged stands on light, well–drained, particularly acidic soils (high pH). They are regarded as pioneer species, rapidly colonizing open ground especially in secondary successional sequences (ecology of a plant’s life, a process started by an event that occurs on preexisting soil that reduces an established ecosystem to a smaller population of species) following a disturbance or fire.

Birches are early tree species to become established in primary successions (the first step of ecology after an extreme disturbance, which occurs in an environment devoid of soil, vegetation and other organisms), and can become a threat to heathland if the seedlings (a young plant developing from a seed) and saplings are not suppressed by grazing or judicious burning.

Birches are generally lowland species, but some species, such as Betula nana, have a montane (found on the slopes of mountains) distribution. In the British Isles, there is some difference between the environments of Betula pendula and Betula pubescens, and even some hybridization. Mycorrhizal fungi, including sheathing (ecto) mycorrhizas, are found in some cases to be beneficial to tree growth.

Birches, Betula species, are used as food by the larvae of a large number of Lepidoptera (an order of about 180,000 species of insects that includes butterflies and moths) that feed on their foliage.

The Cultivation of Birch

White–barked birches in particular are cultivated as ornamental trees, largely for their appearance in winter. The Himalayan birch, Betula utilis, especially the variety or subspecies jacquemontii, is among the most widely planted for this purpose. It has been cultivated since the 1870s, and many cultivars are available, including “Doorenbos”, “Grayswood Ghost” and “Silver Shadow’; “Knightshayes” has a slightly weeping habit. Other species with ornamental white bark include Betula ermanii, Betula papyrifera, Betula pendula and Betula raddeana.

The Many Uses of Birch

Construction Material

Birch bark was a valuable construction material in any part of the world where birch trees were available. Containers such as wrappings, bags, baskets, storage boxes, or quivers (a container for holding arrows, bolts, darts or javelins) were made by most societies well before pottery was invented.

In various Asian countries (including Siberia) birch bark was used to make waterproof coverings for composite bows (a form of laminated bow, is a traditional bow made from horn, wood, and sinew laminated together), such as the Mongol bow, the Chinese bow, Korean bow, Turkish bows, Assyrian bow and the Perso–Parthian bow. Composite bows are still used and are made from more than one variety of birch.

Many Native Americans in the U.S. and Indigenous peoples in Canada prize the birch for its bark, which because of its light weight, flexibility, and the ease with which it can be stripped from fallen trees, is often used for the construction of strong, waterproof but lightweight canoes (boats), wigwams (semi–permanent domed dwellings used for ceremonial events), bowls, torches, fans, musical instruments and clothing.

Because of the hardness of birch, it is easier to shape it with power tools; it is quite difficult to work it with hand tools. Birch wood is fine–grained and pale in color, often with an attractive satin–like sheen. Ripple figuring may occur, increasing the value of the timber for veneer and furniture–making. The highly decorative Masur (or Karelian) birch, from Betula verrucosa var. carelica, has ripple textures combined with attractive dark streaks and lines.

Birch plywood (material manufactured from thin layers or “plies” of wood veneer glued together with adjacent layers rotated up to 90 degrees to one another) is made from laminations of birch veneer. It is light but strong, with many other good properties. It is among the strongest and most dimensionally stable plywood, although unsuitable for exterior use. Birch plywood is used to make longboards (long skateboards), giving it a strong yet flexible ride. It is also used (often in very thin grades with many laminations) for making model aircraft.

Building Material

In Scandinavia and Finland, birch bark was used as the substratum of sod roofs (or turf roof, a traditional roof covered with sod on top of several layers of birch bark on sloping wooden boards), it was the most common roof for rural log homes, and birch–bark roofs (a roof construction traditional to farmhouses and log homes).

The Hughes H–4 Hercules (a prototype strategic airlift flying boat designed and built by the Hughes Aircraft Company) was made mostly of birch wood, despite its better–known moniker, “The Spruce Goose”.

Handicrafts and Arts Material

Birch bark can be cut with a sharp knife, and worked like cardboard. For sharp bending, the fold should be scored (scratched) first with a blunt stylus (a writing utensil or small tool for marking or shaping). Fresh bark can be worked as is; bark that has dried can be softened by steaming, by soaking in warm water, or over a fire. To prevent it from rolling up during storage, the bark should be spread open and kept pressed flat.

The Indigenous peoples of North America also used birch bark to create ritual art, known as birch bark biting (artists bite on small pieces of folded birch bark to form intricate shapes), an art form practiced by Anishinaabeg, including Ojibwe people, Potawatomi, and Odawa, as well as Cree and other Algonquian peoples of the Subarctic and Great Lakes regions of Canada and the U.S.

In Scandinavia and Finland, birch bark was used for making boxes, casks and buckets, fishing implements, and shoes (as worn by the Egtved Girl [ˈektveð]) a Nordic Bronze Age girl whose well–preserved remains were discovered outside Egtved, Denmark in 1921. Whose shoes resemble bast shoes (basket woven and shaped like a foot) made primarily from bast–fiber taken from the bark of trees, a traditional footwear of the forest areas of Northern Europe. Ground birch bark, fermented in sea water, was used for seasoning the woolen, hemp or linen sails and hemp rope of traditional Norwegian boats.

Birch oil is used in the manufacture of Russia leather (a particular form of bark–tanned cow leather), a water–resistant leather. Birch bark knife handles are popular tools still made currently. Birch seeds are used as leaf litter in miniature terrain models.

Writing Material

Wood pulp made from birch gives relatively long and slender fibers for a hardwood. The thin walls cause the fiber to collapse upon drying, giving a paper with low bulk and low opacity. The birch fibers are, however, easily fibrillated and give about 75% of the tensile strength of softwood. The low opacity makes it suitable for making glassine (a smooth and glossy paper that is air, water, and oil resistant).

In the culture of North India, the birch (Sanskrit: भुर्ज, bhurja) holds great historical significance, where the thin bark that came off in winter was used as writing paper. Birch bark (Sanskrit: भुर्ज पत्र, bhurja patra) is exceptionally durable and together with dried palm leaves were the primary writing implements before the widespread advent of paper, in the second millennium CE. The Gandharan Buddhist Texts, the oldest known Buddhist and Indian manuscripts (dating from the 1st century BCE to 3rd century CE) from Afghanistan, were written on birch bark.

The Roman period Vindolanda tablets (the oldest surviving handwritten documents, a source of information about life in northern Roman Britain) also use birch as a material on which to write. Birch bark was used widely in ancient Russia as notepaper (beresta), many birch bark manuscripts have survived from the Middle Ages. Birch bark was also used for decorative purposes and even for making footwear (lapti) and baskets.

The Indigenous peoples of North America also used birch bark to create maps (including the oldest maps of North America) and scrolls (known as wiigwaasabak, on which the Ojibwa people of North America wrote complex geometrical patterns, considered to be their written language). When these scrolls were used specifically for Midewiwin ceremonies they are called mide–wiigwaas.

Personal Care Items

Fragrant twigs of some groups of birches are used in saunas. Birch–tar, birch pitch or Russian oil, a substance derived from the dry distillation of birch bark, is thermoplastic (a polymer material that becomes pliable or moldable at elevated temperatures and solidifies upon cooling) and waterproof; it was used for medicinal purposes and as a glue for such tools as arrows. Neanderthals used birch bark to make a tar adhesive through the process of dry or destructive distillation.

Firewood Material

Birch is used as firewood because of its high calorific value (or heating value, the amount of heat released during the combustion of it) per unit weight and unit volume. It burns well, without popping, even when frozen and freshly hewn. Birch bark also makes an outstanding tinder (easily combustible material used to start a fire). It will burn very well even when wet because of the oils it contains, as the inner layers will stay dry even through heavy rainstorms. With care, it can be split into very thin sheets that will ignite from even the smallest of sparks.

Tonewood Material

Baltic birch is among the most sought–after woods in the manufacture of speaker cabinets (loudspeaker enclosures). Birch has a natural resonance (the phenomenon of increased amplitude occurring when the frequency of an applied force is equal to a natural frequency of the system on which it acts) that peaks in the high and low frequencies, which are also the hardest for speakers to reproduce. This resonance compensates for the roll–off of low and high frequencies in the speakers, and evens the tone. Birch is known for having “natural EQ”.

Birch plywood was specified by the BBC as the only wood that can be used in making the cabinets of the long–lived LS3/5A loudspeaker (a small studio monitor loudspeaker for use by outside broadcast vans to ensure quality of their broadcasts).

Drums are often made from birch. Prior to the 1970s, it was one of the most popular drum woods. Because of the need for greater volume and midrange clarity, drums were made almost entirely from maple until recently, when advances in live sound reinforcement and drum microphones have allowed the use of birch in high–volume situations. Birch drums have a natural boost in the high and low frequencies, which allows the drums to sound fuller.

Birch wood is sometimes used as a tonewood (wood varieties possessing tonal properties that make them a good choice for use in woodwind or stringed instruments) for acoustic and semi acoustic guitars, and occasionally for solid–body guitars. It is also a common material used in percussion mallets (or beaters) for keyboard percussion.

Birch as a Food Source

The inner bark is considered edible as an emergency food, even when raw. It can be dried and ground into flour, as was done by Native Americans and early settlers. It can also be cut into strips and cooked like noodles.

The sap can be drunk or used to make syrup. Birch syrup is a savory, mineral–tasting syrup made from birch sap, and produced in much the same way as maple syrup. However, it is seldom used for pancake or waffle syrup; more often it is used as an ingredient paired with pork or salmon dishes in sauces, glazes and dressings, and as a flavoring in ice cream, beer, wine and soft drinks. Tea can be made from the red inner bark of black birches. Birch wood can be used to smoke foods.

Birch in Modern Medicine

In the European Union (EU), a prescription gel containing birch bark extract (commercial name Episalvan, betulae cortex dry extract (5–10 :1); extraction solvent: n–heptane 95% (w/w)) was approved in 2016 for the topical treatment of minor skin wounds in adults. Although its mechanism of action (MOA, the specific biochemical interaction through which a drug produces its pharmacological effect) in helping to heal injured skin is not fully understood, birch bark extract appears to stimulate the growth of keratinocytes (the primary type of cell found in the epidermis, the outermost layer of the skin) which then fill the wound.

Preliminary research indicates that the phytochemicals, betulin and other triterpenes, are active in Episalvan gel and wound healing properties of birch bark.

On 22 April 2022, the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) adopted a positive opinion, recommending the granting of a marketing authorization for the medicinal product Filsuvez, a gel for cutaneous use intended for the treatment of epidermolysis bullosa (or EB, a group of medical conditions that result in blistering of the skin and mucous membranes caused by trauma and can range from mild to fatal). The applicant for this medicinal product is Amryt Pharmaceuticals DAC. 

The active substance of Filsuvez is birch bark extract (as dry extract, refined) from Betula pendula/Betula pubescens (equivalent to 0.5–1.0 g birch bark), including 84–95 mg triterpenes calculated as the sum of betulin, betulinic acid, erythrodiol, lupeol and oleanolic acid. It is thought to work by modulating inflammatory mediators and stimulating keratinocyte differentiation and migration, thereby promoting wound healing and closure.

Birch in Traditional Medicine

Birch tree parts and products have been used in traditional medicine in various forms, e.g. herb, whole extract, tar, oil and infusions. The medicinal parts used are the bark, leaves, buds and sap, or their derivative products.

Birch bark contains substances of medicinal interest. Some of those (such as betulin) have fungicidal properties. For centuries, birch bark was used in traditional medicine practices by North American indigenous peoples for treating superficial wounds by applying bark directly to the skin. In the 16^th century, splints made with birch bark were used as casts for broken limbs.

The Phytochemistry of Birch

The major chemical compounds contributing to its therapeutic benefits are salicylic acid, methyl salicylate, betulene, betulenol, creosol and guaiacol. An analysis of white birch (Betula pendula) essential oil identified more than 50 chemical compounds representing approximately 86% of the extract. The main components found were α–copaene, germacrene D and δ–cadinene.

Diverse phytochemical investigations of Betula species have shown that they contain mainly phenolic acids, flavonoids, carotenes, bi–procyanidols, catechic tannins, saponins, glycosides, sterols, terpenoids and coumarins. Birch essential oil has a chemical composition of 0.04–1% essential oil, which is comprised of 98% monotropitoside, the main heteroside component and 10% betulin. Flavonoids make up 2–3% hyperoside, rutoside, kenferol, quercitroside and myricitros, tetracyclic triterpenes derived from damarene (betulafoldiendiol, –triol and –tetrol) and lupane (betulinol, betunilic acid).

The Cultural Significance of Birch

In Celtic cultures, the birch symbolizes growth, renewal, stability, initiation and adaptability because it is highly adaptive and able to sustain harsh conditions with casual indifference. Proof of this adaptability is seen in its ability to repopulate areas damaged by wildfires or deforestation. Birches are also associated with Tír na nÓg (or Tír na hÓige, In Irish mythology) one of the names for the Celtic Otherworld, the land of the dead.

Birches are also associated with the Sidhe (Aos sí, in Celtic mythology) the Irish name for a supernatural race—spelled sìth by the Scots, but pronounced the same—comparable to fairies or elves. They are said to descend from either fallen angels or the Tuatha Dé Danann, meaning the “People of Danu”. As part of Gaelic folklore they frequently appear in Scottish, Irish, and English folksongs and ballads in association with death, or fairies, or returning from the grave. The leaves of the silver birch tree are used in the festival of St. George, held in Novosej and other villages in Albania.  

The birch is New Hampshire’s state tree and the national tree of Finland and Russia. The yellow birch is the official tree of the province of Quebec (Canada). The birch is a very important element in Russian culture and represents the grace, strength, tenderness and natural beauty of Russian women, as well as the closeness to nature of the Russian people. It is associated with marriage and love. There are numerous folkloric Russian songs featuring the birch tree as a recurring theme.

The Czech word for the month of March, “Březen”, is derived from the Czech word “bříza” meaning birch, as birch trees flower in March. The Ornäs birch is the national tree of Sweden. The silver birch tree is of special importance to the Swedish city of Umeå. In 1888, the Great City Fire of Umeå spread all over the city and nearly burnt it down to the ground, but some birches supposedly halted the spread of the fire. To protect the city against future fires, wide avenues were created, and these were lined with silver birch trees. Umeå later adopted the unofficial name of “City of the Birches” (Björkarnas stad). Also, the ice hockey team of Umeå is called Björklöven, translated to English “The Birch Leaves”.

“Swinging” birch trees was a common game for American children in the nineteenth century. American teacher, poet and author Lucy Larcom’s “Swinging on a Birch Tree” celebrates the game. The poem inspired American poet Robert Lee Frost, who pays homage to the act of climbing birch trees in his more famous poem, “Birches“. Frost once told “it was almost sacrilegious climbing a birch tree till it bent, till it gave and swooped to the ground, but that’s what boys did in those days.” Birch twigs bound in a bundle, also called “birch”, were used for birching, a form of corporal punishment.

Birch is also associated with the feast of Pentecost (a Christian holiday which takes place on the 50th day after Easter Sunday) in Central and Eastern Europe and Siberia, where its branches are used as decoration for churches and homes on this day.

The Health Benefits of Birch Essential Oil

The health benefits of birch essential oil can be attributed to its tonic, disinfectant, stimulant, antidepressant, anti–inflammatory, antispasmodic, analgesic, anti–cellulite, antipyretic, lipolytic (fluid retention), detoxifying, antirheumatic, antiarthritic, diuretic, antiseptic, astringent, febrifuge, germicide, insecticide and depurative properties. If you’re interested in greater detail, read this PDF on the Birch Essential Oil Health and Beauty Benefits. The most common health benefits attributed to birch essential oil are discussed below.

There are two types of birch, the sweet birch (Betula lenta) is also known as black birch, southern birch, mountain mahogany, capinefolia, mahogany birch, and cherry birch. It contains 90% methyl salicylate and is harmful, even poisonous, when concentrated. And the white birch (Betula pendula) is also known as silver birch, birch pendula, birch odorata, and European white birch. It should not be confused with sweet birch, it is non–irritant and non–toxic.

Therapeutic Uses of Birch Essential Oil

The usage of birch essential oil depends on the tree variety of extraction. The essential oil extracted from sweet birch (Betula lenta) is not used in aromatherapy. Due to the characteristic pleasant fragrance, sweet birch derivatives such as its essential oils have found many applications in cosmetics and related personal care products.

Historically, in Scandinavia, the twigs and leaflets of the white birch (Betula pendula) were tied together and used in saunas for skin toning. Today, the essential oil extracted from the white birch is used commercially as an aroma and flavoring for alcoholic beverages like rum and non–alcoholic beverages like root beer and other drinks. An herbal tea made from its leaves is recommended in Germany as a diuretic and for special diets.

Birch essential oil blends well with: basil, benzoin, cedarwood, clary sage, frankincense, geranium, grapefruit, jasmine, juniper berry, lavender, lemon, patchouli, peppermint, rosemary, sandalwood, spearmint, sweet marjoram and tea tree essential oils.

1. For Headaches or Migraines: Add 1–2 drops of diluted birch essential oil and massage it on your temples. Alternatively, add 2–3 drops of diluted birch essential oil to a warm, moist compress and press it on your forehead.
2. Massage Oil: Apply no more than 2 drops of diluted birch essential oil topically to the affected area and gently massage.
3. To Relieve Muscle Aches: Add 5 drops of birch essential oil to your bath water, soak in and relax.
4. Muscle Pain Treatment: Dilute 2–4 drops of birch essential oil with 30 ml of a carrier oil of your choice, such as coconut. Ensure that the oil you’re using for topical treatment is Betula pendula (white birch). Birch essential oil is a potent extract. Adjust how many drops you use depending on the severity of pain. For light pain, 1–2 drops will suffice. The treatment is most effective when massaged until warm. It is best to apply before bed, the treatment will take effect faster as pores open easier in a warm environment.
5. Relieve Arthritic and Rheumatic Aches:  Add 4 drops of birch essential oil to a hot bath, soak for at least 20 minutes.
6. Reduce Inflammation And Pain: Mix 1 drop each of birch, ginger and tea tree essential oils diluted in a carrier oil, apply topically to the skin and massage the affected area.
7. Open The Airways: Mix 1 drop each of birch, lavender and peppermint essential oils diluted with a carrier oil, rub between the palms and gently massage the throat, chest and back.
8. To Clear Congestion: Add 2–3 drops of diluted birch essential oil to a hot compress and apply to your chest. Alternatively, dilute 1 drop each birch and peppermint essential oils with a carrier oil and apply topically on your chest. Alternatively, add 3–4 drops of birch essential oil to a bowl of hot water and inhale the steam.
9. Dandruff Shampoo: Add 1–2 drops of birch essential oil to your shampoo and wash as usual.
10. For A Scalp Mask: Mix 1 drop each of birch, lavender, ylang ylang, rosemary or lemon essential oils and blend with coconut oil, apply to scalp. Leave on for at least 20 minutes, wash as usual.
11. To Make Mouthwash: Mix 1 drop each birch and spearmint (peppermint is a suitable alternative) essential oils with 1 cup water. Gargle with this mixture once in the evenings to prevent infections and fortify the gums. Do not ingest this mixture.

Precautions

Birch essential oil is 90% methyl salicylate and can be very dangerous and even fatal if used in high doses. Whether using birch essential oil topically or in aromatherapy, be advised that the fatal dose for children is a scant 10 mL and only 30 mL for adults. Even 1–2 milliliters can make you extremely ill. In fact, unless you are well–versed in the medicinal properties of herbs, spices and essential oils, you may want to avoid birch essential oil altogether. Never ingest birch essential oil.

Due to its high alcohol content, birch essential oil should not be used on children, in children under 2 years of age, while pregnant, or breastfeeding. If nursing or pregnant, consult your physician prior to using birch essential oil. Birch essential oil has similar chemistry to wintergreen essential oil. Both contain high levels of methyl salicylate. The use of both should be limited because they can be toxic in high doses. Keep out of reach from children. It is important to have childproof caps on these two essential oils if using in a home with children. They have an enticing candy scent that may be tempting to taste. Use essential oils with extreme caution on children, be sure that it is safe for use on children. Some brands clearly labels their essential oils “KidSafe” on the bottle if it can be used on children ages 2–10.

Do not apply birch essential oil directly to broken or damaged skin. Do not apply directly to open wounds. Never use essential oils undiluted, in eyes or in mucous membranes. Birch essential oil can cause skin irritation or an allergic reaction. When applying any essential oil topically (on your skin), always perform a 24–hour skin patch test first, use 1–2 drops diluted with 1 teaspoon of carrier oil like jojoba, read in further details. Since there are so many varieties of the species Betula, birch essential oils can vary from one manufacturer—or even one bottle—to another. Use only 100% authentic essential oils. Store in tightly–sealed dark glass containers; in a cool, dark place away from light.

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by Meenakshi Nagdeve last updated – June 09, 2021
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Jennifer Lane – Certified Aromatherapist on 01/18/2022
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1 YEAR AGO, BY KATHIE SAND
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Posted on April 25, 2022