River Birch Seedling - M

From the U.S. Forest Service:

"River birch is a medium-sized, native, deciduous tree. Isolated specimens have reached 100 feet (30.5 m), but the usual height range is 50 to 80 feet (15.2-24.4 m) and 24 to 36 inches (61-91 cm) d.b.h. In Wisconsin, it is usually a small, multi-stemmed tree. The bark is separated into thin papery scales, with coarse scales on lower trunks.

River birch occurs in wide range of climatic conditions. It is primarily a tree of alluvial soils (Entisols). River birch occurs largely on lowlands, floodplains, stream banks, and lake margins. Typical sites are sandbars and new land near streams, inside the natural levee or front. It is occasionally found on scattered upland sites. It is positively associated with clay soils. Soils can be either well- or poorly drained, as long as they are at or near field capacity year-round. River birch often occurs on soils that are too acid for most other hardwoods (pH range 2 to 4), but also occurs on soils of higher pH."