The difference between birch and silver birch is mainly between the leaves and bark.
However it can be hard to tell the difference just by looking at them unless you look really close at the leaves and bark of the trees.
Both the Downy (B. pubescens) and Silver Birch (B. pendula) have white to silver bark in maturity.
But the bark of the Silver Birch will have a whiter appearance and black fissures (often near the base), Downy Birch has a more grey, smoother bark in maturity.
But if you don't have both species of trees growing side by side for comparison it can be hard to identify them from each other.
A paper birch tree usually grows at a rate of 12 inches to 24 inches in height per year.
That is 1 feet to 2 feet that the paper birch tree grows each year.
Also paper birch trees are usually planted in the spring, when nurseries generally have a good stock of potted or balled-and-burlap specimens.
Yellow Birch Trees can grow at a rate of 1.5 feet per year and in 20 years time the yellow birch tree can reach heights of 30 feet to 40 feet tall.
The yellow birch tree is not a really slow growing tree but they are not a really fast growing tree either.
Birch Trees grow the best in warmer climates.
Warmer Climates such as Florida, Texas, California and even Iowa and Ohio are good places where the birch tree grows best.
You can grow a birch tree in just about any location as long as the location is pretty warm.
Colder climates can sometimes grow birch trees but they do better in warmer climates.
Also the white barked birch trees are more likely to do well in cooler climates although the yellow birch, river birch, and Heritage river birch also do well in cooler areas.
Birch Trees grow at a rate of 1.5 feet per year and by 20 years they can be 30 to 40 feet tall.
Sweet Birch Trees are hardy in USA Zones 3 through 8.