As both its common and genus names suggest, this species is marked by the soft downy hairs on its shoots and leaves. It is important in many habitats, especially upland regions. Sometimes called Moor Birch or Hairy Birch.

Native across most of Europe, ranging further north than Silver Birch, reaching Iceland, the Faroes and Siberia. Native to Britain and Ireland and found almost everywhere in both. It prefers wet, acidic soils, especially in uplands, and where Silver Birch is absent (notably in Ireland) it can form pure stands. Less commonly used in forestry plantations.

Monoecious. Wind-pollinated and self-incompatible (usually cannot fertilise itself or genetically similar neighbouring individuals). Wind-dispersed, producing small two-winged seeds. Pioneer, fast-growing species but short-lived (60–100 years).

A medium (25m), lightly branched tree. Trunk red-brown, silvering and fissuring with age. Branches fine but not pendulous. Twigs red-brown and downy, the terminal bud usually a catkin bud. Leaves teardrop-shaped, rounded at the base and tapering, coarsely single-toothed, downy (persisting beneath). Male catkins pendulous (6cm); female 3cm, erect, green. Silver Birch differs: papery bark, weeping branches, hairless triangular double-toothed leaves. It hybridises with Dwarf Birch in uplands.

Hardy and tolerant of extreme cold, growing in wet soils and exposed sites. Light-demanding, so it seldom thrives long in mixtures beyond early years. Easy to establish by planting (with early weed control) or simply by excluding browsing mammals, when it can quickly form pure stands. An ecosystem pioneer, helping larger, longer-lived trees establish.

As a pioneer it provides 'nurseries' for other trees, notably Scots Pine in Caledonian pinewoods, and is especially important in helping nature recover, for instance colonising upland areas. Its foliage supports hundreds of insects, its seeds feed birds, and old trunks provide nesting sites.

Generally robust and healthy, but more vulnerable than many tree species to honey fungus. Birch rust is common, visible as yellow-orange spots on underside of leaves in summer.

In Britain and Ireland its timber is used less than Silver Birch's, with a lower commercial yield. Pale, red-brown, usually straight-grained and fine-textured, it is easy to work but non-durable and prone to wood-boring insects. In Scandinavia, with Silver Birch, it is used for birch plywood and paper pulp. Historically it was important for charcoal and as a calorific firewood.