What are the different types of birch trees
11 Common Species of Birch Trees
Identified by their unique bark, birch trees look lovely in the landscape.
By
Vanessa Richins Myers
Vanessa Richins Myers
Vanessa Richins Myers is a seasoned horticulturist, writer, and educator with over 10 years of training and experience as a professional horticulturist and gardener. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in horticulture, with an emphasis in landscape design and urban horticulture. She volunteers as a community garden specialist.
Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process
Updated on 07/29/22
Reviewed by
Andrew Hughes
Reviewed by Andrew Hughes
Andrew Hughes is a certified arborist and member of the International Society of Arborists specializing in tree heal care. He founded and runs Urban Loggers, LLC, a company offering residential tree services in the Midwest and Connecticut.
Learn more about The Spruce's Review Board
The Spruce / Letícia Almeida
Birch trees belong to the genus Betula and are classified as part of the Betulaceae family of plants. They are typically small to medium-sized trees and shrubs found in temperate zones across the Northern Hemisphere. Some varieties grow in shrubby clusters. Others are trees that clump with multiple trunks, and still more grow as classic single-trunk trees. Ask anyone what's special about a birch tree and its beautiful bark immediately comes to mind. Birches are a common choice in landscaping, but they are relatively short-lived trees when compared to other hardwoods, and many become damaged by insects and diseases.
Tip
Most birches are characterized by varicolored or white bark with papery plates, distinctive horizontal markings, and peeling layers; the appearance of the bark often is the feature that gives the species its common name.
Click Play to Learn About Common Species of Birch Trees
Most birch trees grow best in moist soil and they love full sun.
However, the roots might head for your plumbing pipes if a large tree is planted too close to your house. Do not let this deter you though; these are magnificent trees that are not hard to grow and should be a choice for your landscape. Birches are fast-growing trees that can quickly provide benefits to your yard.
Insect pests are most likely to strike a birch tree in areas where it is wounded or diseased. By keeping your trees well pruned and free of damaged branches, you can greatly reduce the likelihood of infestation by bronze birch borer or other insects.
Here are 11 common types of birch trees to consider for your landscape and areas where they are typically grown in the United States and around the world.
-
01 of 11
Bog Birch (Betula pumila)
Western Arctic National Parklands/Flickr/CC 2.
0 Bog birch is a medium-sized, short-lived, clump-forming shrub that thrives in wet sites. The plant tolerates occasional flooding, alkaline soil, clay soil, and road salt. When planted in residential landscapes, it grows well around bodies of water or in boggy areas. Bog birch is a good choice for rain gardens.
Other common names include swamp birch, glandular birch, dwarf birch, and resin birch.
- Native Area: North America
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 2 to 9
- Height: 5 to 10 feet
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
-
02 of 11
F. D. Richards / Flickr/ CC By 2.0River birch is an increasingly popular, fast-growing tree for the home landscape. It may grow either as a single-trunk tree or a multi-trunk clumping tree. It has distinctive salmon-pink to reddish-brown bark that exfoliates to reveal lighter inner bark providing year-round interest in the landscape. Dark green foliage turns a beautiful buttery yellow in the fall.
River birch has good resistance to the bronze birch borer. It is one of the only truly heat-tolerant birches. River birch may also be known as red birch, black birch, or water birch.
- Native Area: Eastern U.S.
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
- Height: 40 to 70 feet
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
-
03 of 11
Cherry Birch (Betula lenta)
Stephen Robson / Getty Images
Cherry birch is a large tree that grows from a single main trunk. Shiny, red-brown bark and yellow foliage make this an attractive tree for lawns and naturalized areas. The bark on mature trees develops vertical cracks that form irregular scaly plates, closely resembling the bark of cherry trees. Flowering in April and May, the tree produces fruiting catkins from August through October and serves as a food source for deer, moose, rabbits, and various birds. This tree also attracts beautiful butterflies to the landscape and is resistant to the bronze birch borer which can devastate other species of birch.
Its broken twigs emit a spicy wintergreen fragrance and fermented sap is an ingredient used in birch beer. Regionally, the cherry birch may be called by other common names, including black birch, sweet birch, mahogany birch, Virginia roundleaf birch, or spice birch.
- Native Area: Eastern U.S., from Maine to northern Georgia
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
- Height: 40 to 70 feet
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
-
04 of 11
MAKY_OREL / Pixabay / CC By 0Betula nana is a small dwarf shrub, native to arctic and cool temperate regions, especially tundra landscapes. It will grow in a variety of conditions, though it favors wet but well-drained sites with a rocky, nutrient-poor, acidic soil. It does not tolerate shade well. The dwarf birch is rarely planted in landscapes, but it is important to cover vegetation in cold northern territories.
Other names for this tree include bog birch and arctic birch.
- Native Areas: Greenland, Iceland, northern Europe, northern Asia, and northern North America
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 1 to 8
- Height: 6 inches to 3 feet tall
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
-
05 of 11
Eerik / Getty Images
The silver birch has an attractive pendulous habit and distinctive white bark that peels away in papery strips. It grows as a single-trunk tree that gradually transforms from pyramidal in shape to a more rounded, oval crown. Also known as weeping birch or European white birch, the silver birch was once used extensively in landscapes, but its high susceptibility to the bronze birch borer has limited its use in more recent years.
- Native Area: Europe, Asia
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 2 to 7; can be grown in 8 and 9 but will have a shorter life
- Height: 40 to 80 feet, depending on cultivar
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
-
06 of 11
John Lord / Flickr / CC By 2.
0 The ornamental interest of Himalayan birch includes pretty spring flowers, rich yellow fall color, and bright white papery bark. It is a medium-sized tree with a single trunk that quickly branches out into a pyramid shape. This birch species is very vulnerable to damage by the bronze birch borer and usually requires removal and/or replacement, especially in warmer zones. It is a heartier and longer-lived tree in cooler climates.
This tree has other common names, including white-barked Himalayan birch and jacquemonti birch.
- Native Area: West Himalayas, Nepal
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 7
- Height: 30 to 50 feet
- Sun Exposure: Full sun; can take some light shade
-
07 of 11
Japanese White Birch (Betula platyphylla 'Japanica')
View Photos/a.collectionRF / Getty ImagesThis species, also known as Asian white birch, is a medium to large tree with white bark and thin spreading branches that terminate in drooping branchlets.
This tree grows best in medium to wet, well-drained, sandy, or rocky loam. Although it prefers full sun, the Japanese white birch thrives in northern and eastern exposures that receive some afternoon shade. The main requirement is a consistently moist soil. Like several other members of the birch family, this birch performs best in cooler climates; with warmer zones causing increased susceptibility to birch borer insects. - Native Area: Manchuria, Korea, Japan
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
- Height: 40 to 50 feet
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
-
08 of 11
Plant Image Library / Flickr / CC By 2.0Primarily native to Alaska, Canada, and northern U.S. states, this tree has lovely white bark and yellow fall color. It can grow either as a single-trunk tree or in small clumps with multiple trunks. Paper bark birch is so-named due to the thin white bark which often peels in paper-like layers from the trunk.
It also is known as the canoe birch or white birch. This is the classic birch tree historically used to make many useful products from footwear to birch-bark canoes. Buds, catkins, and leaves along with twigs and bark are a source of food for birds and other wildlife. The paper bark birch demonstrates some resistance to the bronze birch borer. - Native Area: Northern North America
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 2 to 7
- Height: 45 to 100 feet
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to light shade
-
09 of 11
Weeping Birches (Betula pendula var.)
Ron Evans / Getty Images
Trees known as weeping birches generally are different naturally-occurring or cultivated varieties of silver birch (Betula pendula), described above. Exact details such as growing zones and height will depend on the particular variety.
Common varieties include:
- Curly birch (B.
pendula 'Carelica') - Cutleaf weeping European birch (B. pendula 'Gracilis')
- Golden cloud weeping birch (B. pendula 'Golden Cloud')
- Purple weeping birch (B. pendula 'Purpurea')
- Swedish birch (B. pendula 'Dalecarlica' or 'Laciniata')
- Tristis weeping birch (B. pendula 'Tristis')
- Young's weeping birch (B. pendula 'Youngii') (pictured)
- Curly birch (B.
-
10 of 11
Water Birch (Betula occidentalis or Betula fontinalis)
Thayne Tuason / Wikimedia Commons / CC By 4.0
Water birch typically occurs along streams in mountainous regions, where it grows in dense thickets. The bark is dark red-brown to blackish, and smooth. Unlike other birch trees, its bark does not peel. This tree is a source of food and lodge material for the common North American beaver.
Other common names for this tree include western birch, red birch, river birch, black birch, and western red birch.
- Native Area: Western North America, mountainous regions
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 7
- Height: Shrubby form can grow 25 feet tall; as a tree, to 40 feet
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
-
11 of 11
Cora Niele / Getty ImagesYellow birch, named for the color of its bark, is a relatively long-lived birch that typically grows for 150 years and may even age to 300 years in old-growth forests. It is a single-stemmed tree with yellow-bronze bark that peels in narrow horizontal strips. This is an important species to the North American lumber industry and a major woodland food source for birds and wildlife.
Yellow birch may be known regionally as swamp birch, curly birch, gold birch, or hard birch.
- Native Area: Northeastern North America
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 7
- Height: 50 to 80 feet
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
The various species of birch trees in the Betula genus include at least these 11 that are important landscape trees.
Birch trees offer interesting bark color and texture and attractive foliage, but they are relatively short-lived and they are prone to suffer from diseases and insects, especially the bronze birch borer. But birches still make excellent, fast-growing landscape specimens, provided you have realistic expectations.
6 Birch Trees with Gorgeous Fall Foliage
Article Sources
The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Bog Birch. The Morton Arboretum.
The Bronze Birch Borer and Its Management. University of Minnesota Extension Service.
10 Varieties Of Birch Trees
Slender and graceful, birch trees are admired by many gardeners. The birch offers enchantment in all seasons. In spring, its bright green leaflets open together with dangling clusters of catkins.
In summer they offer the chiaroscuro of dappled shade, followed by brilliant foliage colors in fall. Their lovely bark is exposed in winter.
If you think of birch trees as having papery white bark and green leaves, you aren’t wrong. Many varieties of birch trees share these features. But did you know that there are dozens of varieties of birch, even without counting birch tree cultivars, and that some have a very different appearance?
If you are wondering about the different varieties of birch trees, read on. Here’s a round-up of our favorite varieties of birch. We have included some weeping birch varieties and some small birch varieties for more compact gardens.
1. European birch (Betula pendula)
This is a classic and extremely popular birch, one of the weeping birch varieties. It grows to between 30 and 60 feet (10 and 20 m.) tall and wide. The trunk has lovely white bark with black fissures, and the branches are drooping. The leaves of this birch are green in summer, canary yellow in fall.
It prefers a full sun location and well-draining moist soil.
2. Paper birch (Betula papyrifera)
With white peeling papery bark and green leaves, the paper birch looks a lot like the European birch except that its branching structure is upright. It’s a rock-star tree, growing fast and dying young, but very helpful for wildlife, attracting many wild birds and hosting the larvae of Luna moths. Plant in sun and keep the soil moist.
3. River birch (Betula nigra)
River birch trees have attractive trunks in shades of red from cinnamon to salmon. The bark peels and curls. The foliage is glossy green during summer, then blazes yellow in autumn. This is a birch that tolerates heat, part shade, and some drought, unlike many of its family members.
4. Black birch (Betula lenta)
How about a birch with dark brown bark? The black birch’s bark resembles the bark of a cherry tree but happens to be extremely fragrant with a wintergreen scent.
The tree’s green leaves turn golden in fall. It is not one of the small birch varieties and can grow to 90 feet (30 m.) tall.
5. Gray birch (Betula populifolia) resembles the paper birch. However, this species normally grows with multiple trunks and its bark is whitish-gray and doesn’t peel. It will grow in dry and sandy soils, though it, like most birch, prefers moist soil.
6. Yellow or golden birch (Betula alleghaniensis)
If you like birch with peeling bark, consider the yellow birch. Its handsome copper-colored bark peels off in sheets, and it also offers a yellow autumn display. No dry or sandy soils for this native, and no hot sites either. Yellow birch is a tall deciduous tree, its single trunk rising to 80 feet (27 m.) tall, making it one of the largest birches in North America.
7. Japanese White Birch (Betula platyphylla ‘Japonica’)
Native to Korea and Japan, this species is one of the weeping birch varieties. It is a medium tall tree, growing to 50 feet (17 m.
) tall, in USDA zones 3 to 8. It has white bark and thin spreading branches with drooping branchlets. It can thrive in moist, well-drained loam in full sun.
8. Water birch (Betula occidentalis or Betula fontinalis)
This attractive birch is among the small birch varieties, as it only grows to 25 feet (8 m.) as a shrub and 40 feet (12.5 m.) as a tree. In the wild, water birch trees grow next to streams in mountainous regions in zones 3 through 7. The attractive bark is dark mahogany and smooth, not peeling. Beavers use this tree for food and lodge material.
9. Dwarf Birch (Betula nana)
Another of the small birch varieties, dwarf birch is a native of cool tundra landscapes in USDA zones 1 through 8, including Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and northern Asia. It truly is a dwarf species, topping out at 3 feet (.9 m.) tall. Like most birch, it prefers wet but well-drained soil and full sun.
10. Himalayan Birch (Betula utilis var. jacquemontii)
It’s a winning combination for Himalayan birch: lovely spring flowers, deep gold fall foliage, and bright white papery bark.
This medium-sized tree –to 50 feet (17 m.) – grows into a pyramid shape from its single trunk. It thrives best in cooler climates like USDA zones 4 through 7 where the birch is a heartier and longer-lived tree.
Types of birches: varieties, photos and descriptions
Skip to content
Content: [hide]
- Description
- Species
- Rare species
- What you need to know about wood
- Physical and mechanical properties of wood
- Conclusion
Birch is decorative and has useful qualities. There are over 120 varieties of it. 40 grows in Russia. The highest ones reach 45 m, the usual ones do not exceed 30 m.
Description
The main feature is the bark. As a rule, it is smooth to the touch, covered with a small layer of birch bark. As the tree grows, the cork fabric peels off. The color of the bark can be white, pink, yellowish, brownish.
The shape of the leaves also varies. Some species have round leaves, others are serrated.
The wood is frost-resistant, but the wood is not used for building. Birch is used in other areas: chemical, furniture industry. nine0003
Species
There are several types of birches (see photo) used in the national economy.
Hanging
At the age of 8, the tree reaches 30 m, the trunk changes from brown to white. Wood is considered one of the most dense and heavy.
The plant is also called warty birch: there is a lot of resin on the trunk. The young tree has straight branches, in old age they sag down. The shape of the leaves is diamond-shaped. The flowers are brown. The most suitable habitat for a tree is a mountainous or flat area. Life expectancy - up to 120 years. nine0003
The plant is used to make charcoal, plywood.
Dwarf
Resembles a branched shrub, grows in Canada, in the north of Russia.
Birch prefers mountainous or swampy terrain.
The leaves are small, their upper part is darker than the lower. The bark is brown, the trunk is smooth, with a cork layer.
This downy birch is slow growing and hardy .
In the northern regions, the leaves are used as food for deer. The plant is well suited for landscape design. nine0003
Karelian
Grows in Karelia, Lithuania, northwestern regions of Russia. It is characterized by an unusual outgrowth on the trunk - kappa.
This is a subspecies of the drooping birch, includes three varieties:
- short,
- medium height,
- tall.
Due to its peculiar pattern, wood is used in the manufacture of sculptures and dishes. Karelian birch is a symbol of the north of Russia.
Rare species
Rare species:
- Dahurian or Korean birch. The maximum height of the tree is 25 m.
The leaves are oval, dark green. Requires plenty of light and moisture to grow . Wood is used for making crafts, charcoal. - Squat. Unusual fluffy birch, shrub. The maximum height is 2.5 m. It grows in the swampy areas of Western Siberia, in the Far East. The oval leaves have resinous warts. Blooms in May. It is used for the production of medicines, solid fuels. nine0008
- Iron birch, or Schmidt birch. The wood of this plant does not burn, does not sink in water. Can be found on the rocks of China, Japan, in southern Primorye. Reaches 20 m, the crown starts from 8 m. The bark is dark gray, brown. Life expectancy sometimes exceeds 400 years. The birch loves light; if there is not enough of it, the trunk bends. For domestic purposes, the tree is not used.
- Red. It is distinguished by an unusual bark, which has a yellow-gray color, a small height, no more than 5 m. It grows in Kazakhstan. The tree is listed in the Red Book. nine0008
- Stone, or Erman's birch.
It is found on Sakhalin, Kamchatka, in Japan. Has brown bark. Height - about 20 m. The tree is frost-resistant, prefers stony soil. Used for coal production, making crafts.
What you need to know about wood
Many types of birches are characterized by fast growth, excellent adaptation to the environment. Almost always, wood is easily processed and used in the household.
Applications :
- manufacture of parquet or plywood for repairs;
- creation of skis;
- turning production;
- furniture production.
Wood does not rot for a long time. You can find items made more than 500 years ago. Previously, trees were considered a symbol of well-being, people tried to plant a birch next to their houses.
Birch wood is used to make furniture. Items made from it are expensive, of high quality, but their release is limited. nine0003
Physical and mechanical properties of wood
Features:
- Density.
The material must have a proportional ratio of all parts. That is, if one is dry, the other should be at the limit of hygroscopicity. All types of birches used for making furniture have an average density. For later wood, a 2 times greater density is characteristic. - Strength. The most durable is black wood. It resists external destruction, is characterized by low humidity. High strength in iron, weeping, fluffy birches. nine0008
- Hardness. On the Brinell scale, birches are of medium hardness, but are considered wear resistant. Wood suitable for parquet . The hardest is iron birch (82 MPa).
- Weight. The specific gravity of a dry tree is 3–5% less than that of a wet one. Moreover, if the birch was cut down during the rainy period, the weight of the wood can increase by a third.
- Thermal conductivity. The material retains heat poorly, is prone to cracking. Wood is highly valued as lumber, and great heat can be obtained from firewood.
nine0008 - Humidity. Almost every type of birch is characterized by increased sensitivity to moisture. In order to prevent the deformation of crafts, small products are made from wood. With the help of forced drying, it is possible to reduce the humidity to 12%.
Conclusion
Birch is unpretentious, takes root well in a new place. Application in the industry is not widely developed. The exception is varieties with high hardness.
The main advantage is a large amount of heat released during combustion, long-term operation of products in dry rooms. These qualities made it possible to use the plant in the furniture industry, in the production of coal. When arranging vast areas, designers use birch trees as an element of decor. Trees are used in folk medicine. nine0003
Related post
You missed
Adblock
detector
photo with names, description of what grows
Content0008
2 dwarf Birch is one of the most common trees in the Northern Hemisphere, including in Russia. However, contrary to popular belief, not all types of birches have a common characteristic feature - white or at least light bark. In general, they differ not only in appearance, but also in other characteristics, which is expressed in the choice of different habitats. nine0003
Description
Conventionally, all types of birches are divided by botanists into four groups:
- Albae. Relatively low (up to 15 m) trees with snow-white or similar bark in shade and a rounded, fairly symmetrical crown. Typical representatives are ordinary birch, fluffy, Karelian. Of the species that did not originally grow in Russia, there is the North American paper birch.
- Nana. Low slate trees or bushy forms. As a rule, they are characterized by thin shoots and small leaves.
Typical representatives are sprawling and skinny birch species. nine0008 - Costatae. Includes the most decorative types of birches. This applies not only to the appearance, but also to the wood - it is very dense, beautiful shades (from creamy white and pale yellow to dark cherry and almost black). In most species, as they grow, “ribs” appear at the base of the trunk, the veins on the leaves become depressed. The group includes Daurian birch, iron, Erman, Medvedev, Japanese cherry.
- Acuminata (Acuminatae). Combines subtropical species. They are characterized by high "growth" (at least 20 m, on average 30-50 m with a trunk diameter of about 1.5 m) and large leaf size. The most common in nature are the types of Maksimovich, Jacquemont, brilliant, useful. nine0008
Birch is a species of deciduous trees with about 120 "representatives"; it belongs to the same family and genus
Important! A characteristic feature of most birch species is a branched, superficial fibrous root system, which can be 2-3 times larger in diameter than the crown projection on the ground.
Therefore, trees are often knocked down by the wind.
Varieties of birch in Russia with photos and names
Now in Russia, in addition to the species that originally grew on its territory, you can also find those that were "brought" here, for example, from North America. Most of them adapt well, "integrate" into local ecosystems, without turning into "aggressors". nine0003
Hanging
The natural range of this species is wider than the others. It includes almost all of Europe (except for the Iberian Peninsula and territories with a similar climate), Siberia, northern Africa, Western and Central Asia. The drooping birch successfully "migrated" to South America, where it is planted as an ornamental crop.
It reaches a height of 25-30 m with a trunk diameter of 70-80 cm. The "girth" of the crown is 7-12 m. The bark of young specimens is brown, it acquires a typical off-white shade for the species only at the age of 6-8 years, when enough specific phytohormone betulin accumulates in the tissues.
As it ages, the bark at the base of the trunk becomes covered with deep black cracks. nine0003
Important! There are many decorative varieties of birch, bred on the basis of the "natural" drooping. The most popular species among gardeners are Royal Frost, Purpurea, Gracilis, Laciniata.
Often in nature, two types of birch - downy and drooping - grow "together"
Dwarf
The most common type of stunted birch. Its natural habitat is the tundra in Europe, Siberia and North America.
The average height is 20-70 cm, occasionally this species "stretches" up to 1.2 m. Depending on the growing conditions, the shape of the shoots varies from semi-raised to prostrate. The leaves are very small (0.5-1.5 cm long and 1-2 cm wide), of an unusual wide-wedge shape.
Important! In nature, dwarf birches gradually “force out” other types of flora from the occupied territory and form completely impenetrable thickets of intertwining branches.
Dwarf birch prefers moist, even waterlogged substrate
Karelian
A natural mutation of silver birch, which, according to the most common point of view, arose as a result of its infection with a certain type of virus.
There are other versions, for example, the specificity of mineral nutrition or a congenital disease that changes the genotype of a plant.
After that, the texture of the wood changed dramatically, thanks to which the Karelian birch is consistently in demand by furniture manufacturers. Her cross-sectional drawing, indeed, looks very unusual - chocolate brown "blotches" on a general creamy yellow background. nine0003
Karelian birch does not differ from silver birch in other characteristics. Its natural habitat, as you might guess, is limited to the Republic of Karelia. At the moment, the "natural" population of the species has decreased to 3,000 trees, and they are actively trying to restore it in reserves.
Important! New specimens obtained by crossing two Karelian birches do not always "inherit" the specific feature of the species. It is possible to understand whether the wood will be patterned only in trees that have reached the age of 5-10 years. nine0003
Another characteristic feature of the Karelian birch is the almost inevitable presence of a burl on the trunk.
The tree prefers to settle along the banks of rivers, on well-drained slopes of mountains and hills. Its habitat includes the south of Siberia, the Far East, Mongolia, northeast China, the Korean Peninsula, Japan. It is limited, among other things, due to increased requirements for the quality of the substrate and light-loving. This species is a reliable "indicator" of the lack of waterlogging of the soil and its suitability for farming. nine0003
Approximate height of Daurian birch is 6-18 m. The trunk is quite thin (30-60 cm). The color of the bark varies from graphite gray to black. As the wood ages, it cracks and flakes badly. Shoots are widely spread, rising obliquely upwards.
Important! Dahurian birch is a fire-resistant species. "Incompatible with life" fire damage is received only by young seedlings. Mature trees after a fire dramatically increase their growth rate.
Dahurian birch "rises" to the mountains by a maximum of 300-400 m
Squat
Rare shrub species.
It reaches a maximum height of 1.5 m. The shoots are straight. The bark is smooth to the touch, brown-brown in color, even in old trees it does not crack or delaminate.
Natural habitat - Far Eastern and Siberian swamps, northern Mongolia. Much less often this species is found on the territory of central Ukraine, swampy meadows in Western Europe.
Important! The squat birch is officially recognized as an endangered species, as such it is listed in the Red Books of many Russian regions. nine0003
Unlike most species, it takes a lot of time to ripen the seeds of squat birch - until September-October.
Zheleznaya
This rare relic species is also called Schmidt's birch. Its habitat is a very small area in the south of Primorye. Individual specimens are found in China, Japan, on the Korean Peninsula.
The height of the tree reaches 25-35 m with a trunk diameter of 70-80 cm. There is a tap root and 3-4 large lateral ones. Bark of different shades of cream, beige, brown with a grayish undertone.
It is covered with numerous cracks, peels off and exfoliates. The resulting "pattern" often resembles tiles. nine0003
However, the main feature of this species is its pinkish wood. It is very heavy, dense, with almost imperceptible growth rings. The tree does not burn without preliminary long-term drying, it is extremely difficult to machine.
Iron birch grows slowly, but the species can be considered long-lived
Red
Also called Yarmolenko's birch. An endemic species under threat of extinction. It grows exclusively in Kazakhstan, is listed in the Red Book of this state. nine0003
Red birch lives at an altitude of about 2000 m above sea level. Also, for normal development, trees of this species need a fairly cold climate and a substrate consisting of almost nothing but stones, large pebbles, crushed stone, with the addition of sand or clay.
Small tree (up to 5 m, usually 2-3 m), thin-stemmed, very graceful. Despite the name, the bark can be not only red, but also yellowish, and even gray.
The leaves are very small (2-2.5 cm) with pubescent veins.
Red birch is a very valuable species, able to resist the waterlogging of mountain rivers and the accumulation of sediments in them
Erman birch (stone)
In Russia, it occurs exclusively in the Trans-Urals. Also grows in China, Mongolia, Japan, on the Korean Peninsula. Prefers nutrient-poor rocky substrate.
The young tree looks extremely similar to the "classic" Russian birch, very common in the middle lane. However, at the age of about 150 years, its white bark thickens sharply to at least 2.5 cm, changes color to grayish-brown, acquires a tiled pattern. The wood is extremely dense, sinks in water, resistant to processing and other mechanical influences. nine0003
Tree height - 12-15 m, rarely up to 20 m. Trunk diameter - 50-90 cm. Depending on the place of growth, the shoots can be both erect and prostrate. Not far from the sea, this view turns into a "trellis" due to the peculiarities of the winds.
Important! Lower-growing ornamental varieties bred on the basis of Erman's birch “inherit” its life span, cold and shade tolerance, undemanding to the quality of the substrate. They differ only in the shade of the bark - pinkish-copper, snow-white or brick. nine0003
Erman's birch mainly grows as single trees or small groups in mixed or coniferous mountain forests
Other species
There are quite a lot of species that differ from their "relatives" in their original "appearance":
- Cherry. The bark is a rich cherry hue, casts scarlet in the sun. The pyramidal crown, as it grows, turns into a spherical one. The leaves are unusually large (10-12 cm).
In spring, shoots of cherry birch are almost invisible under the "earring" inflorescences
- Curly. The crown is very dense, but at the same time lush, as if openwork. This is due to the unusual configuration of the shoots. The leaves are rhomboid, cast silver in the sun.
The lifespan of curly birch directly depends on the comfort conditions for this species in the place of growth
- Bolotnaya.
Low-growing (up to 5 m) tree. Shoots are directed vertically upwards. As it ages, the snow-white bark becomes dark gray.
Swamp birch, despite the name, takes root in dry soil, in addition, it is photophilous and does not differ in cold resistance
- Winding. A tree 5-6 m high. The thin trunk seems to be “twisted” at least once, sharp bends are characteristic of it and the shoots. Accordingly, the crown of this species seems to be “torn”, sparse
Depending on the growing conditions, the bark of the birch can be almost white, grayish or light brown
How to choose for the garden
are very different, you can choose a look that harmoniously "fits" into most landscape design concepts. In doing so, the following points should be taken into account:
- Plot area. The original shape of the crown and "weeping" look most spectacular from a distance of at least 6-8 m. An unusual bark pattern, leaves, and other details are best viewed close up.
- Basic specifications. Any “natural” species, as well as a variety bred by breeders, shows its decorative effect to the maximum if, when choosing a planting site, its “requirements” regarding illumination, substrate quality, its humidity and acid-base balance are taken into account.
- Cold resistance. If this region is not a natural habitat for the selected birch species, perhaps the reason is its thermophilicity. In this case, even high-quality care and shelter for the winter will not save the tree. nine0008
- Description of an adult plant. The height and diameter of the trunk, the "girth" of the crown in many types of birches allow them to be classified as "large-sized". Therefore, you need to think in advance whether there will be enough space for them in the future.
Birch looks simple and modest, but elegant and elegant at the same time
Important! Perhaps any kind of birch is not the best option for a superstitious person: among the people, many signs and beliefs associated with it have a negative connotation.
