Downy Birch has many of the same characteristics as Silver Birch, although it is less common and grows in damp conditions. It has brown bark, downy twigs, and also has downy hairs on the underside of its leaves. Another difference from Silver Birch is the shape of the leaves: in Downy Birch the leaves are singly-toothed, whereas in Silver Birch they are double-toothed.

Brown bark		Downy twigs		Downy leaf undersides

Leaf comparison: Downy Birch (left) with single teeth, and Silver Birch (right) with double teeth