mazur birch

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MAZUR BIRCH
(aka Karelian birch)

Betula spp.
Mazur Birch is not a species of birch, but is rather a wood figure whose original cause is unknown but which is hereditary (and therefor not a burl and not caused by a fungus, insect infestation, etc.). The trees that contain this figure grow primarily in the area on the Easter border of Finland and the Eastern border of Russia formerly known as Karelia. Because of that the wood is also known as Karelian birch although the name mazur birch is much more common. The spelling is also (much less often) given as "masur".

The figure is found almost exclusively in Betula pubescens (European birch, Baltic birch, white birch, etc) and Betula pendula (curly birch, silver birch, dwarf birch, etc). I have it anecdotally that it can appear in other Betula species but I have never seen any examples.

The figure is a pock-mark slightly like birds-eye in maple. Sometimes it appears just as splotchy ovals. It is often mistakenly called a burl, but as mentioned above it definitely is not a burl.

my samples:
NOTE: these pics were all taken in very bright incandescent lighting ("soft white" at 2700K)
colors will vary under other lighting conditions

mazur birch log and closeup --- HUGE enlargements are present. I bought this for a ridiculous amount of money but just couldn't resist. I'll process some of it and get more pics one of these days

end grain and end grain closeup of the log directly above

both sides of a sample plank of mazur birch / Betula spp. --- HUGE enlargements are present.

end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above

END GRAIN UPDATE from directly above

mazur birch veneer and closeup

mazur birch veneer

mazur birch table top

karelian (= mazur) birch veneer

web pics:

mazur birch log ends

mazur birch end grain scales showing nicely how the weird growth looks inside the wood

mazur birch slabs, all from the same vendor and all with both levels of enlargement

both sides of a mazur birch slab

plank listed as "Karelian birch burl" but that just means mazur birch. It is not a burl

planks, all from the same vendor and all with both levels of enlargement

two sets of planks with a closeup of each set

planks

turning stock

turning stock listed as mazur birch / Betula alba. These samples and the ones directly below are the only ones I've ever seen of mazur birch that was not either Betula pendula or Betula pubescens so I'm not sure the species listed is correct.

turning stock listed as mazur birch / Betula alba and a closeup. These samples and the ones directly above are the only ones I've ever seen of mazur birch that was not either Betula pendula or Betula pubescens so I'm not sure the species listed is correct.

mazur birch scales, all from the same vendor and all with both levels of enlargement

scales

scales listed as mazur birch / Betula pendula

mazur birch veneer

mazur birch veneer incorrectly listed as "European mazur burl" veneer

veneer of mazur birch / Betula pendula, which had been incorrectly listed as "European burl" veneer

rotary cut veneer of mazur birch / Betula pendula, which had been incorrectly listed as "European burl" veneer

veneer, all from the same vendor and all incorrectly listed as "Karelian burl" veneer, which should just be "Karelian veneer". I'm sure these pieces all look shinier in the pics than in reality.