The sweet or cherry birch tree grows quickly and will reach a height nearly 79 feet tall. It has a hardy trunk and stems and is crowned by fragile, green leaves. Its wood is used for building homes and making numerous wooden items from furniture to cabinetry to kitchen utensils. The cherry birch has an edible bark used for a variety of things including tea and beer. It is also full of sap that can be drunk, concentrated into syrup or sugar or distilled into beer and vinegar.

Essential oil extracted from the inner bark and twigs also has a load of uses. It has the same taste as the oil obtained from the wintergreen plant and is used for flavoring or a delicious tea.