Betula maximowicziana

The monarch birch is a member of the birch or Betulaceae family and is native to Japan. It is a medium-sized tree, reaching a height of up to 25 m.

• Branches are diagonal or prostrate, sometimes erect, branchlets brown, densely yellow villous (hairy).
• Leaves are simple, alternate, heart-shaped, with a cordate base, doubly toothed, 7.5 to 15 cm long and up to 10 cm wide, the largest of the birch leaves; new leaves are downy, maturing to glabrous dark green. Fall colour is yellow.
• Tree is monoecious; flowers ripen in the spring; male flowers form catkins 10-12 cm long over the winter; female flowers also are in catkins, up to 6.2 cm long, in clusters of 32 or 4.
• Female flowers are followed by erect cone-like fruits persistent over the winter, containing numerous 3 mm long winged seeds that typically mature in late summer.
• Mature bark varies from gray to quite white, slightly peeling.