[3] A distinctive feature is the red birch's peeling bark, which is brown but cream when newly exposed.

[3] Young shoots are slightly glandular, becoming dark brown and smooth with scattered warts as they age.

[6] Recent taxonomic revisions have proposed reclassifying this taxon as Betula utilis subsp.

This reclassification was published in Ashburner & McAllister's 2013 work "The genus Betula: a taxonomic revision of birches".

[6] Betula albosinensis is grown as an ornamental tree for parks and large gardens, valued for its striking bark.

[3] It was first introduced to cultivation in the West by E.H. Wilson in 1901, who collected specimens in Western Hupeh (now Hubei) province.