The paper birch grows to a height between 50 and 75 feet, with few growing to 85-foot range. The largest currently growing paper birch to be documented by the American Forestry Association resides in Michigan and stands 107 feet above the ground. The trunk of the tree is a modest 1-2 feet in diameter. The white bark of a mature paper birch is the final product of ten years of growth from a young birch with reddish brown bark. The bark peels off in thin papery layers with horizontal layers called lenticels­­­­­­­, which separate the interior wood and the outside air. The bright white color of the bark of the paper birch is derived from organic chemical compounds within the tree called betulin and betulinic acid.  The bright color not only gives the birch its vibrant appeal, but also helps protect the tree. Since the paper birch often resides in locations where winter can be quite cold, by reflecting the rays of the sun the bark helps to prevent the trunk of the tree from warming up during the day and freezing at night; this would lead to rapid contraction of the bark and result in cracks that would let potential pathogens and destructive pests into the inner bark of the tree.

Other features to look for on the birch tree are the dark bark at the base of the tree and the iconic leaves of the tree. The bark on the trunk of the paper birch is the dark; here, triangular markings called chevrons mark the locations of branches that have fallen. The leaves of the birch tree can be easily recognized as well. Growing in pairs, oval-shaped leaves are shiny dark green on the upper side and marked with patches of fuzzy growth on the underside. They range from 2 to 5 inches long and are pointed at the tip. Their vibrant yellow color is perhaps the most recognizable autumn color change when the leaves turn and die. Falling to the ground, they are broken down quickly and release high amounts of calcium, nitrogen, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium into the soil. The paper birch is also marked by small greenish-tan catkins that dangle pleasantly from the tips of branches. The catkins are long and thin, and are the flowers of the tree. Male catkins are long and bare whereas the female catkins are tight and cone-like.