edible birch... paper birch?

[Northgirl]

Hi all, here's my question. Is the inner bark of paper birch edible? We have lots of paper birch here and I've often used the bark as a firestarter in camps, and I know that yellow birch inner bark is edible, but I can't find any info on paper birch.

Thanks

[Rick]

Hey, Northgirl, why not pick your way over to our Introduction section and tell us a bit about yourself?

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=14

[crashdive123]

Not su re about paper birch. My Petersons Field Guide discusses Yellow and Black birch. There are a lot of folks with wild edible experience that may know. While you're waiting for them, how about stopping by the Introduction section and tell us a bit about yourself. Thanks. http://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=14

[crashdive123]

Oops. Rick beat me to it.

[Rick]

See how you are?

[crashdive123]

What? Slow?

[Sarge47]

I consider it rude, inconsiderate, & improper to just pop on here without an intro so, once again, here's that intro link!

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...splay.php?f=14 (http://www.wilderness-survival.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=14)

Warning! Newbies that fail to properly introduce themselves are fed to the Zombies!


http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-violent058.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org/) Thank you. (Smilies by Ken.)

[Rick]

You too? What is this, steal my thunder night?

[crashdive123]

Well, in my defense - I was typing while you were posting. Remember - you type fast.

[Sarge47]

I got yer back dude!

http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-transport011.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org/)

[ClayPick]

I can’t help you with the White Birch. My guess is that the cambium layer is lower in sugar than the other birches.

[MattS]

Think some folks nailed this down already, but white birch isn't particularly nutritious. Yellow birch can be used primarily for its sap, but the sugar content is much lower than something like a sugar maple (have to boil off a lot of water content; boil up to 104 deg C, if you're interested). Best in springtime, the inner bark of Black/Sweet birch can be boiled and eaten (boiling gets rid of some of the wintergreen oils), but it kinda tastes like crap :-) I think I also heard somewhere that you can dry the inner bark of sweet birch and pound it into flour, but have never tried this.

[grundle]

Use it for writing not eating sheesh.

[Sarge47]

I really don't know as I've never knowingly ate a tree before, somebody might try & ask a beaver.:innocent:

[Ken]

http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-signs138.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org)

[Ken]

I really don't know as I've never knowingly ate a tree before, somebody might try & ask a beaver.:innocent:

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