In its native habitat, B. utilis tends to form forests, growing as a shrub or tree reaching up to 20 m (66 ft) tall.
It  frequently grows among scattered conifers, with an undergrowth of shrubs that typically includes evergreen Rhododendron.
The tree depends on moisture from snowmelt, rather than from the monsoon rains.
They often have very bent growth due to the pressure of the deep winter snow in the Himalaya.

Leaves are ovate, 5 to 10 cm (2.0 to 3.9 in) long, with serrated margins, and slightly hairy.
Flowering occurs from May–July, with only a few male catkins, and short, single (sometimes paired) female catkins.
The perianth has four parts in male flowers, and is absent in the female flowers.
Fruits ripen in September–October.

The thin, papery bark is very shiny, reddish brown, reddish white, or white, with horizontal lenticels.
The bark peels off in broad, horizontal belts, making it very usable for creating even large pages for texts.
A fungal growth, locally called bhurja-granthi, forms black lumps on the tree weighing up to 1 kg.

The wood is very hard and heavy, and quite brittle.
The heartwood is pink or light reddish brown.
In its native habitat, B. utilis tends to form forests, growing as a shrub or tree reaching up to 20 m (66 ft) tall. It  frequently grows among scattered conifers, with an undergrowth of shrubs that typically includes evergreen Rhododendron. The tree depends on moisture from snowmelt, rather than from the monsoon rains. They often have very bent growth due to the pressure of the deep winter snow in the Himalaya.
Leaves are ovate, 5 to 10 cm (2.0 to 3.9 in) long, with serrated margins, and slightly hairy. Flowering occurs from May–July, with only a few male catkins, and short, single (sometimes paired) female catkins. The perianth has four parts in male flowers, and is absent in the female flowers. Fruits ripen in September–October.
The thin, papery bark is very shiny, reddish brown, reddish white, or white, with horizontal lenticels. The bark peels off in broad, horizontal belts, making it very usable for creating even large pages for texts. A fungal growth, locally called bhurja-granthi, forms black lumps on the tree weighing up to 1 kg.
The wood is very hard and heavy, and quite brittle. The heartwood is pink or light reddish brown.
Betula utilis