Betula pendula - Silver Birch

Possibly the most graceful and elegant British native tree, sometimes called 'The Lady of the Woods'. Fast-growing, the Silver Birch has a light canopy, which casts dappled shade allowing other plants to grow beneath it, pendulous branches and golden yellow autumn leaf colour. The peeling white bark and delicate tracery of branches make this tree attractive even in the depths of winter; a mature tree covered in hoar frost is a memorable sight.

Site and soil

The Silver Birch prefers light, free-draining sandy soils, including acid sands, but should do well on all but the heaviest of ground. It copes well with exposed situations and high elevations.

Height and spread

Below are the approximate stages of growth, assuming sited in suitable conditions for this species;

After 10 years: 8m x 3m
After 20 years: 18m x 4m

Leaf and bark

Diamond-shaped, sharply toothed leaves open palest green, darkening to mid-green by midsummer, then turning golden yellow before leaf fall in autumn. The bark is white with horizontal lines and dark diamond-shaped cracks. The white bark peels to reveal pale orange young bark beneath.

Flower, seed and fruit

The yellow-brown catkins open in March-April, the males about double the length of the female at 3cm. The female catkins disintegrate on fruiting and the tiny seeds are dispersed by the wind.

Uses

Specimen tree, woodland, shelter belt for younger, slower-growing trees. The wood is used for plywood and furniture making, and for handles for tools and brushes. The bark is used for roofing in Scandinavia, and an oil from the bark is used in the preparation of leather; it has insect repellent properties. Charcoal from the wood was once used in the manufacture of gunpowder, and the twigs form the brushwood fencing on racecourses and besoms. Birch has several medicinal uses and is currently being researched for its effectiveness in treating certain cancers and HIV.

Wildlife

The Silver Birch is an ecologically important species. Its light canopy allows a wide range of plants to flourish beneath it on the woodland floor, attracting many birds, insects and small mammals. It is an important pioneer species, rapidly colonising suitable open ground. It forms effective shelter for slower-growing trees like oak and beech.