Matt Smith wrote:Some species of Birch have edible leaves that can be used for tea.
I believe most species of Birch have edible parts, including sap, leaves, and twigs, although they may taste slightly different. If you have positively identified your trees I'm sure you can look up the species to make sure it's okay. It's similar to maples - you can collect sap from any type of maple, but the Sugar Maples will give you the sweetest sap. A friend and I collected some twigs from Yellow Birch last year, although I believe that Black Birch is supposed to be a bit sweeter... but I'm not an expert. However, I do know that while the leaves are sometimes used for tea (especially medicinally), I believe it's the twigs and bark that are used most commonly for teas and flavorings. They have the wintergreen flavor associated with birch beer and the like. You can also just chew on a birch twig to freshen your breath. I've even read about giving them to teething babies to chew on as it can also help relieve pain.
