This study investigates wood density and anatomy of juvenile silver birch stems in Sweden,grown in mixed conifer stands. Our aim is to investigate if fertilization provides increased growth, aswell as an eventual reduction in stem wood density. Measurements of basic density, ring width, cellwall thickness, and vessels are analyzed for 20 birch trees. Bark to pith radial sections are analyzedusing a light microscope and the freeware ImageJ to compare treatments and ages. The results showthat trees with fertilizer treatment have wider growth rings and thinner cell wall thickness comparedto unfertilized trees. The fertilized trees also have a lower cambium age at the same height and thesame diameter, and a slightly lower stem mean density (420 kg m3) than the unfertilized stems(460 kg m3). Fertilizer is a significant determinant of density and cell wall thickness in nonlinearmodels. The fertilized trees have increased growth and reached a fixed diameter earlier. The agedifference between the trees likely explains some of the differences in cell wall thickness. This studysupports the use of fertilizer as a silvicultural option for increasing the growth rate of silver birch fora relatively small reduction of wood density.