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What does birch trees look like


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.

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.

  1. Bog Birch. The Morton Arboretum.

  2. The Bronze Birch Borer and Its Management. University of Minnesota Extension Service.

Birch Trees: Types, Leaves, Bark

Birch trees (genus Betula) are flowering medium-sized deciduous trees with thin papery bark and egg-shaped pointed leaves. Birch trees have spectacular fall colors that can be golden yellow, vibrant orange, or fiery red. Common birch trees get their names from the bark’s distinctive colors, which can be white, silver, black, gray, or yellow.

Common species of birch include the white birch, silver birch, and paper birch. Typically, you can identify birch trees by their bark, leaves, and flowers. For example, some birches have thin peeling bark that exfoliates in long strips, whereas some species don’t peel. Also, birch leaves can be egg-shaped, triangular, or diamond-shaped.

This article is a guide to identifying common birch trees. Pictures and descriptions of birches will help you choose the best type of ornamental tree for your garden landscape.

Birch Tree Facts

Birch forest

Birch trees belong to the genus Betula in the beech-oak family Fagales. Birch trees typically grow between 40 and 70 ft. (12 – 21 m) tall with canopies 35 to 60 ft. (10 – 18 m) wide. Dwarf birch trees are small trees that don’t grow taller than 30 ft. (9 m), and some only grow 3 ft. (1 m) tall.

There are between 30 and 60 birch (Betula) species, with 18 being native to North America. Birch is a short-lived tree that thrives in cold, northern climates where it grows in moist ground. Birch trees grow best in USDA zones 2 through 7.

Some species of birch have slender, single trunks with irregular-shaped canopies. The birch foliage tends to grow higher up the tree, revealing white-gray, red, or black bark. You’ll also find clumping birch trees with multiple trunks growing together from the ground.

White birch trees are also ornamental trees suitable for residential landscapes.

Birch wood is also prized for its density and strength. Wood from birch trees is used to make skateboards, plywood, and loudspeaker cabinets. Additionally, birch is excellent firewood because it burns well even if damp.

Birch Tree Leaves

Birch tree leaves have pointed tips and serrated edges. On the right picture: autumn foliage

Birch tree leaves are triangular or egg-shaped with a rounded base, pointed tips, and serrated margins. Glossy green birch leaves grow between 2” and 3” (5 – 7.5 cm) long. The simple leaves are arranged alternately on branches. In fall, birch leaves turn spectacular shades of yellow, red, and orange.

There are some subtle differences in leaf shape between species of birch. For example, white birch trees have more pronounced teeth on the leaf margins. River birch leaves tend to have a diamond shape, whereas gray birch leaves are more triangular-shaped.

Birch Bark

Birch tree bark

Birch tree bark is usually whitish-gray, silver, or sometimes red. The bark on most birch trees has horizontal dark streaks that look like scoring (called lenticels). Birch tree bark is also well-known for its paper-like texture and peeling nature. The peeling bark on birch trees gives them ornamental value in wintertime.

Birch trees with white bark are generally the most popular types of birch trees for gardens.

Birch Flower

Birch flower are called catkins

Birch tree flowers are small, insignificant clusters of flowering spikes called catkins. Birch trees bloom in spring at the same time leaves appear. Flowers on male birch trees are 1.2” (3 cm) long, and the flowers on female trees are 0.4” to 0.8” (1 – 2 cm) long.

How to Identify Birch Tree

The bark and leaf shape are the best ways to identify species of birch trees. You can recognize birch trees by their peeling bark that can be white, gray, or yellow. You will also notice horizontal diamond-shaped raised marks on the light-colored bark. Look at the leaves—birch leaves are typically triangular with jagged-looking edges.

Birch Trees vs. Aspen Trees — How to Tell Them Apart

Aspen tree trunks (left) are very similar to birch trunks (right)

It’s easy to mistake birch trees for aspen trees. From a distance, birch trees and aspens look similar with their slender white or gray trunks. However, looking up close, you’ll see that birches have peeling bark, whereas aspen trees have rough, fissured bark.

Another way to tell birch trees apart from aspen trees is by their leaves. Birch leaves tend to be triangular or spear-shaped with noticeable serrated margins. Aspen tree leaves are more heart-shaped with finely toothed edges. Also, birch leaves have a “V” shape and are elongated rather than like the flat leaves of aspens.

Aspen leaves (left) are usually rounder and shorter than birch leaves (right) and have less serrated edges

Birch Trees in the Fall

Autumn foliage of birch tree

Birch trees are deciduous trees that have stunning ornamental appeal in the fall. The leaves of birch trees turn from glossy green to magnificent shades of yellow in the fall. Birch tree fall colors can range from golden yellow to warm autumn hues of orange, bronze, and red. Some birch trees have bark that also turns golden like the leaves.

Types of Birch Trees

Let’s look in more detail at the common types of birch trees growing in forests and residential parks and gardens.

White Birch Tree (Betula pubescens)

White birch trees (Betula pubescens)

The white birch tree has ovate-shaped fuzzy leaves and white, thin, papery peeling bark. White birch trees grow between 30 and 65 ft. (10 – 20 m) tall. The slender white trunk has upright branches, giving the tree a columnar appearance. White birches have warm yellow fall colors.

White birch (Betula pubescens) is a tree native to Europe. Other names for white birch tree include ‘downy birch,’ ‘hairy birch,’ and ‘moor birch.’ The white birch is sometimes confused with the silver birch (Betula pendula). However, it has smooth downy shoots.

Compared to other birch trees, the leaves of white birch have coarsely serrated margins.

The white birch tree is a cold-hardy broadleaf tree that grows in USDA zones 2 through 9. The tree thrives in full sun and moist, damp ground.

White birch tree leaves: Simple leaves are arranged alternately. The triangular leaves have a rounded base and tapered tip. Also, look for unevenly serrated margins. White birch leaves measure 1.2” to 2.4” (3 – 6 cm) long and up to 2” (5 cm) wide.

White birch leaves and male catkins

White birch tree bark: Dull white thin bark that exfoliates in papery strips.

White birch tree bark

Weeping Silver Birch Tree (Betula pendula)

Weeping Silver Birch Tree (Betula pendula)

The silver birch has pendulous branches, giving the tree a weeping appearance. The weeping silver birch has glossy green leaves that turn a warm yellow in the fall. Leaves are ovate-shaped with double-toothed margins. As its name suggests, the bark of Betula pendula is silvery-white and has contrasting horizontal black stripes.

Weeping silver birch trees grow best in large gardens as shade trees. The arching canopy, oval shape, and slender silvery trunk look stunning as a landscape tree.

Silver birch trees are suitable for growing in USDA zones 2 through 7. The deciduous trees prefer full to partial sun and growing in well-draining ground.

The weeping silver birch is also called the ‘lady of the woods,’ ‘weeping birch,’ European white birch,’ ‘warty birch,’ and ‘lady birch.’

Silver birch tree leaves: Shiny green leaves are 2. 5” (7 cm) long and have a distinct triangular shape with jaggy-looking edges. Silver birch fall colors are hues of warm yellows.

Weeping silver birch leaves and male catkins

Silver birch tree bark: Bark is golden brown on young growth before turning silvery white with black patches.

Weeping silver birch bark

Paper Birch Tree (Betula papyrifera)

Paper birch trees (Betula papyrifera)

Also called the white birch tree, the paper birch gets its name from its thin, white papery bark. The paper birch tree has ornamental value in garden landscapes due to its golden fall color and thin, exfoliating, smooth pure white bark. Leaves are egg-shaped with irregularly toothed margins.

You can grow paper birch trees as a single stem tree or multi-stemmed tree. Typically, paper birch trees grow between 50 and 70 ft. (15 – 21 m) tall and have a rounded crown. Multi-stemmed paper birch trees don’t grow as tall.

Paper birch trees grow best in USDA zones 2 through 7. In cold climates, ornamental paper birch trees can grow for up to 100 years. In warmer regions, they don’t live as long.

The paper birch tree was used to make canoes. That’s why the Betula papyrifera tree is also called the canoe birch tree. Its brilliant white bark is the reason it’s called the white birch.

Paper birch tree leaves: Ovate-shaped leaves with irregular serration on the margins. The leaf blades measure 4” (10 cm) long and turn from dark green to bright yellow in the fall.

Paper birch leaves

Paper birch tree bark: Shiny white bark that peels in strips revealing orangey-brown bark underneath.

Paper birch bark

Yellow Birch Tree (Betula alleghaniensis)

Yellow birch tree (Betula alleghaniensis)

The yellow birch tree is a medium-sized tree with elongated oval, glossy green leaves, finely serrated margins, and beautiful bright yellow colors in the fall. This slender deciduous tree has foliage growing in a conical shape. The tree’s bark starts as shiny bronze before turning shaggy and papery and a gray-brown color.

Yellow birch trees grow between 50 and 80 ft. (15 – 24 m) tall. Yellow birches have year-long seasonal interest thanks to the beautiful bark, large pointed leaves, and bright fall colors.

Other names for yellow birch tree include ‘swamp birch,’ ‘gray birch,’ ‘hard birch,’ and ‘silver birch.’

Yellow birch tree leaves: Lanceolate shaped with irregularly toothed margins. Dark green birch leaves turn bright yellow with hints of lime green in fall. The long birch leaves measure between 3” and 5” (7 – 12 cm) long.

Yellow birch leaves

Yellow birch tree bark: The bark is a polished brown color when young and turns a silvery-gray color as it matures. The bark has a yellow-bronze tinge that peels in narrow strips.

Yellow birch bark

River Birch Tree (Betula nigra)

River birch trees (Betula nigra)

The river birch tree is a type of clumping birch tree with reddish-brown exfoliating bark, glossy green diamond-shaped leaves, and a pyramidal crown. This fast-growing river birch tree has smooth fuzzy twigs and unique buds among Betula trees due to the hooked tips. River birch fall color is golden yellow.

Betula nigra grows between 80 and 100 ft. (25 – 30 m) and typically has multiple slender trunks. The clumping river birch grows best as decorative trees in garden landscapes where there’s wet soil.

The river birch is the best choice of birch trees for hotter areas. River birches are the most heat-tolerant of all the Betula species. You’ll find river birch thriving in northern states, as well as Florida and Texas. This birch species grows in USDA zones 4 through 9.

Other names for the river birch include ‘black birch,’ ‘water birch,’ or ‘clump river birch.’

River birch tree leaves: Diamond-shaped leaves with double-serrated margins. The birch leaves have a glossy green upper side and yellowish-green underside. In fall, all the foliage turns bright yellow.

River birch leaf

River birch tree bark: Flaky bark that peels and curls from the tree trunk. The bark starts pink, smooth, and shiny. As the birch tree matures, the bark becomes reddish-brown and peels, revealing orangey flakes of bark.

River birch bark

Gray Birch Tree (Betula populifolia)

Gray birch tree (Betula populifolia)

The gray birch tree is a fast-growing, slender deciduous tree, often with multiple trunks. Gray birch leaves are triangular shaped with an elongated tip. The ovate leaves have a glossy green upper side and a pale underside. Gray birch bark is a light gray, almost white color with black patches on the bark.

Gray birch trees are medium-sized trees, growing between 20 and 30 ft. (6 – 10 m).

The scientific name for gray birch trees—Betula populifolia—comes from the leaves that look like leaves on poplar trees.

Gray birch trees can look like paper birch trees. However, to tell the trees apart, look at the bark and leaves. Gray birch bark doesn’t peel, and the leaves have longer pointed tips than paper birch trees.

Gray birch tree leaves: Triangular leaves that taper to a long tip. Look for double-toothed margins and shiny upper leaves to identify gray birch trees. Fall color is an undistinguished yellow.

Gray birch leaves

Gray birch tree bark: Chalky whitish-gray bark that doesn’t peel.

Gray birch bark

Sweet Birch Tree (Betula lenta)

Sweet birch tree (Betula lenta)

The sweet birch tree is a deciduous tree with large, ovate-shaped leaves that have finely serrated margins. Leaves on sweet birch trees are some of the biggest in the Betula genus, measuring up to 6” (15 cm) long. Pendulous flowers emerge in spring before the leaves appear.

The sweet birch tree gets its name from the scent of wintergreen in the twigs, bark, and leaves. The other common names of Betula lenta refer to other features of the tree. For example, ‘black birch’ due to its dark bark color. ‘Cherry birch’ and ‘mahogany birch’ because of the way the bark looks on mature birch trees. And ‘spice birch’ due to the aromatic wintergreen scent it emits.

Sweet birch trees grow up to 100 ft. (30 m) tall. However, these birch trees typically grow in residential landscapes between 50 and 80 ft. (15 – 24 m) tall.

Sweet birch tree leaves: The glossy leaves start as a light green color before becoming a darker shade and then turning to rich golden yellow in the fall. Leaves measure between 2” and 6” (5 – 15 cm). These birch leaves give off a sweet fragrance when crushed.

Sweet birch leaves

Sweet birch tree bark: Younger sweet birch trees have bark smooth grayish bark with slender horizontal lenticels. Unlike other birch trees, older trees develop hard, deeply-fissured bark with irregular scaly plates.

Sweet birch bark

Dwarf Birch Tree (Betula nana)

Dwarf birch tree (Betula nana) and a close up picture of the leaves

The dwarf birch tree is more of a large shrub than a tree. This shrubby plant grows around 3 ft. (1 m) tall and has rounded leaves with bluntly-toothed edges. Leaves are light green and turn red in the fall. Dwarf birch trees are well-suited to arctic conditions and thrive in USDA zones 1 through 8.

Apart from dwarf birch tree, other names for Betula nana include ‘bog birch’ and ‘arctic birch.’

The American dwarf birch (Betula glandulosa) is similar to Betula nana. The only difference is longer petioles joining the leaf blades to twigs.

Betula glandulosa leaves have longer petioles

Himalayan Birch Tree (Betula utilis)

Himalayan birch tree (Betula utilis) and leaves

The Himalayan birch tree has thin, papery bark, egg-shaped, slightly fuzzy leaves, and short conical flowers. Like most birches, the Himalayan birch has peeling bark that can be white, reddish-brown, or reddish-white. The bark peels in thin sheets, revealing pinkish bark underneath. The glossy green birch leaves measure between 2” and 4” (5 – 10 cm).

The Himalayan birch tree grows as a large shrub or tree up to 66 ft. (20 m) tall. The single trunk branches out low to the ground to create a vase-shaped crown of green foliage contrasting with white bark.

Himalayan birch tree bark

Japanese White Birch (Betula platyphylla)

Japanese white birch (Betula platyphylla) trees and bark

Also called the ‘Asian white birch,’ the Betula platyphylla has grayish-white bark, spreading branches, and yellowish-green triangular leaves with tapered tips. The 3-inch (7.5-cm) leaves have toothed margins and cover branches to create a pyramidal crown.

The Japanese white birch thrives in zones 4 through 7. In colder climates, the decorative birch tree grows between 30 and 40 ft. (10 – 12 m) and is 15 to 25 ft. (4.5 – 7.6 m) wide.

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description, properties of Birch, application, interesting facts

image of Birch

Birch - bright beauty of Russian forests. Its trunks turn white in the forest, giving people joy, peace and hope. From time immemorial, people have come to her for advice and consolation. Birch is the pride and symbol of the Slavs. It is often called the tree of life.

Birch is not without reason considered a sacred tree, a spiritual symbol. Since ancient times, she has taken care of a person. Leaves - for health, branches - for brooms, bark for writing, crafts, tar and making fire, wood for warmth. nine0007

Birch in Rus' has always been associated with a young maiden with its purity, whiteness, and sophistication. Branches Birches bend over the traveler like a woman's hands to enclose him in their tender embrace.

The name Bereza

The Russian word Bereza comes from praslav. berza, from the root *bhereĝ- “shine, turn white”.

Where does Birch grow?

Birch is widespread throughout Russia and the Northern Hemisphere as a whole, even beyond the Arctic Circle. Birch is undemanding, tolerates both heat and cold. nine0023

Dwarf Birch grows in the tundra of Europe and North America and the mountain tundra of Siberia. It does not even reach 1 m in height. In the glacial and post-glacial periods, this Birch was distributed much further south, now it is found there only in swamps as a relic.

What does Birch look like?

Birch is probably familiar to everyone. But still, let's write a few words.

Birch - tall light tree with spreading crown. It is always light in the Birch Forest, and not only because of the white trunks. Birch leaves are not large and the crown lets in a lot of light. nine0007

Birch height usually 15-30m. However, the age of Birch is not long. Actually, 1st century. Birch usually lives for about 100 years.

The bark of Birch is white in most species. The outer part of the bark - birch bark - usually easily peels off with ribbons. In old birches, the lower part of the trunk is covered with a dark crust with deep cracks.

Birch leaves are small, toothed, pointed at the end, sticky in spring.

Birch Flowers - earrings. Birch's earrings are not all the same: there are men's, there are women's. nine0007

Men's earrings on Bereza appear in summer. At first they are erect and green in color, then gradually turn brown. Outside, the entire earring is covered with a resinous substance impervious to moisture. In this form, catkins hibernate.

In spring, in March-May, the shaft of the male catkin lengthens, as a result of which the scales surrounding the flower open, and yellow stamens become visible between them, abundantly secreting pollen.

Women's birch catkins always sit on the side of the branch. During flowering, they are always shorter and narrower than males, which immediately fall off after pollination.

When to collect birch leaves?

Birch Leaves must be collected in mid-May, as soon as the leaves are no longer sticky.

Birch leaves are harvested in May - June - birch leaves should be fragrant and sticky, young, not coarse. For drying, birch leaves are laid on wide paper sheets in a dark, cool place with good ventilation. nine0023

Medicinal properties of Birch

The main medicinal properties of Birch : antimicrobial, wound healing, good anti-inflammatory properties, resolving ability - this is not a complete list of the remarkable properties of these leaves.

Diuretic, and most importantly, choleretic properties are often used by herbalists in a variety of preparations.

Application Birch

Birch leaves have a rich composition - essential oils, phytoncides, vitamin C, carotene, vegetable glycosides, tannins, nicotinic acid and other elements. A decoction of birch leaves is used as a disinfectant and antiseptic, diuretic and choleretic drug. nine0007

Infusion from birch leaves is more saturated, so it is used for local treatment. Alcoholic and ethereal substances that contain birch leaves have antimycotic and antiviral effects. Tannins, which are rich in birch leaves, have bactericidal and anti-inflammatory properties. Phytoncides and flavonoids are antioxidants that absorb free radicals, so Birch leaves can rejuvenate cells and tissues and restore them.

Infusion from young birch leaves is used as a stimulant, prescribed for disorders of the nervous system, renal colic, jaundice, as an anti-inflammatory and vitamin remedy.

Birch buds are diaphoretic, diuretic and choleretic. In diseases of the kidneys and bladder, dropsy, an aqueous infusion or decoction is used in a ratio of 1:5. Infusions from the kidneys are prepared at the rate of 2 teaspoons per glass of boiling water. Take 2-3 tablespoons 3-4 times a day. A decoction is prepared from 30 g of kidneys per glass of water and is also taken as an infusion. nine0007

Birch leaves are used to make vitamin drink : young leaves are crushed and poured with hot boiled water, infused for 4 hours.

Birch sap . Birch sap is not only tasty but also healthy, has a good tonic effect, its ability to dissolve stones has been revealed, so the juice is used in complex therapy for urolithiasis.

The usefulness of birch sap is determined by its chemical composition, the presence of many valuable substances, in particular glucose and fructose, which are well absorbed by the body, nicotinic, glutamic, aminoacetic acids. nine0007

Birch broom in the bath promotes healing of wounds, abrasions, cleanses the skin from rashes and acne. It helps well after physical exertion, relieves pain and tension in the muscles. And its main advantage is that it helps to improve ventilation in the lungs.

It is believed that the smell of Birch cures melancholy and helps from the evil eye, and birch sap, collected on special days of March and April, cleanses the blood.

Birch bark is one of the best materials for making a fire in any weather. nine0007

Birch. Interesting facts

Sometimes you can see outgrowths on the Birch - cap - in the section they have a peculiar complex and beautiful pattern. The processed burl has long been used for the manufacture of elegant handicrafts: caskets, snuff boxes, decorative details of furniture.

Birch is also characterized by specific species of fungi - dead wood destroyers (saprotrophic), which play an important role in the process of self-purification of forests from deadwood and windbreaks. nine0023

Why is Birch white? The cell cavities of the birch bark are filled with a white resinous substance - betulin, which gives the birch bark a white color.

Birch is important as a pollen carrier in beekeeping. After all, bees collect not only nectar, but also pollen - the main source of protein and vitamins.

People living near a birch grove are much less likely to get colds, as the volatile phytoncides released by the tree inhibit the growth and development of bacteria. nine0023


Birch's photo: *Galina*, ShepelevaV, karyuk.nina, Elena Shukhobova, Zosia

What does a birch fruit look like. Description of birch for children. Description of a birch leaf. Types of birches, names and photos

The common birch can be safely considered a symbol of Russia. This tree is extremely widespread throughout our country. It is hardly possible to find someone who does not know this plant. It is used in industry, medicine and ornamental horticulture. nine0007

Birch is a deciduous tree belonging to the Birch family. There are more than a hundred species of this plant in botany. Most of them are trees, their height can reach 30-35, and sometimes 45 m. Among this variety there are shrubs, which are quite large and very small, creeping. These plants usually live 200-250 years, but sometimes their age can exceed 300.

Description birch

The root system of birch is developed and very powerful. It is core and superficial. The seedling usually has a taproot, but it quickly stops growing and dies. Then lateral root shoots begin to develop, giving many branches. They are located obliquely at an angle of 30-40º and go shallow into the ground. This position of the adventitious roots allows the birch to have increased stability and strength. A lot in the structure of the roots depends on where exactly the plant grows. nine0007

The birch grows very slowly for the first few years of its life. But when the main root dies and the peripheral part grows, the tree begins to grow much faster. Roots that are fairly close to the surface take all the moisture and nutrients from the ground. Where birch grows, it is extremely difficult for other plants to survive.

Mature tree usually has white, whitish-yellow, brown-reddish, sometimes brown, grayish and even almost black bark, depending on the variety. The white color is due to the presence in the cells of the tissue of the bark of begulin - a white coloring resinous substance. The outer layer is called birch bark and is usually easily removed in layers or strips. In fairly old birches, the lower sections of the trunk acquire a dark gray color and are furrowed with deep cracks. The girth of the trunk is up to 1.5 m.

The leaves of the tree are smooth, with small serrations along the edges, rounded or triangular in shape with an elongated sharp tip, sitting alternately on a short petiole. On the leaf blade, pinnate veins are clearly visible, which end in denticles. Young fresh leaves are covered with sticky resin and have a pale green color. In autumn, before falling, the foliage turns yellow.

Birches are dicotyledonous, dioecious and wind pollinated. Male earrings appear in the summer, bloom in the spring and then immediately fall off. The female ones bloom together with the leaves and, after pollination, fruits ripen in them, which are a small flattened nut equipped with “wings”. Thanks to these membranes, birch fruits are able to be blown away by the wind over a distance of more than 100 m.

Varieties

The classification of birches is quite complicated, botanists cannot come to a consensus on this matter. Their description is confusing due to polymorphism. Usually the following 4 groups are distinguished:

    Albae - this includes trees with bark of white, yellowish, pinkish and other light shades.

    Costata - trees with dense wood having various shades (cherry, white, black, yellow). The trunk is ribbed, and the leaves have interesting voluminous veins. nine0007

    Acuminatae - large trees with large leaves, growing in a subtropical climate.

    Nanae - dwarf trees with small leaves.

Birch species

Consider some types of birch:

    Ordinary (warty, drooping). Height up to 35 m, trunk thickness 0.7-0.8 m. The most common variety of birches with white bark, which in young plants (up to 10 years old) is brown, and then turns white. The branches are strewn with many resinous growths resembling warts, hence the name - warty. It grows throughout Europe, Asia and North Africa. The tree is unpretentious, tolerates severe frosts and droughts very well, but requires good sunlight. nine0007

    Fluffy (pubescent). Height - 25-30 m, diameter - up to 0.8 m. Young trees resemble alder because of the red-brown bark. But with age, the similarity disappears, as the trunk turns white. Branches directed almost vertically upwards form a wide spreading crown. It grows in Western Europe, the central regions of Russia, the Caucasus and Siberia. Very winter-hardy, shade-tolerant, loves wet and even swampy soils.

    Erman (stone). Relatively low tree (up to 15 m) with a crooked trunk, but up to 0.9 in diameterm. It has a flaky bark of dark gray and brown colors, which eventually ulcerates with large cracks. A translucent, wide and luxurious crown is formed from upright branches. It tolerates cold, shade-tolerant and undemanding. It tolerates swampy and wet soils very poorly, preferring rocky areas. Often found on the islands of Japan, in the northern provinces of China, on the Korean Peninsula. On the territory of Russia, it grows in the Far East, in Transbaikalia, Buryatia, Yakutia and Kamchatka. nine0007

    Cherry . Height up to 25 m, thickness up to 0.6 m. This birch is distinguished by uneven, cracked, brownish-reddish, almost cherry-colored bark. Grows in moist, light, well-drained soils. In cold winters it can freeze. Distributed in North America, the Baltic countries, Belarus and in the central part of Russia.

    Black (river). Height up to 30 m, girth more than 1 m. It grows in the southern states of the USA, as it is very thermophilic.

    Karelian . Able to be a small bush, but it can also grow to a height of 6-8 m. The trunk is covered with all sorts of irregularities, thanks to which the wood has an extremely interesting marble pattern.

    Dwarf . A typical inhabitant of the highlands and tundra. It looks like a shrub with fairly branched warty branches. Prefers to grow on highly moist, heavy soils.

Application

Birch is very widely used. First of all, use its wood. Various carpentry products, plywood, laminate are made from it. There is even a color - birch, which is used in furniture production. The Karelian variety is especially appreciated for the manufacture of various handicrafts and furniture. Birch firewood is considered one of the best. nine0007

Birch sap is used in the food industry to prepare various drinks.

Tar is obtained from birch bark by dry distillation, which is used in veterinary medicine and medicine, as well as in the cosmetic industry.

For medical purposes, birch leaves, bark and buds are used, which have bactericidal, choleretic, wound healing, expectorant, diuretic, antiseptic and antipyretic properties. Birch brooms have been used since ancient times for the prevention and treatment of various diseases. nine0007

These trees are widely used in plantations, landscaping and horticulture. Virtually maintenance-free and very decorative.

Birch is a very widespread tree in the northern hemisphere. Many peoples associated their beliefs and their gods with it, used it in everyday life and for treatment. What this symbol of the northern peoples represents, what it looks like, what species are more common and how birch is used in the economy and medicine - this will be discussed further. nine0007

What it looks like: biological description

White slender trunks with black spots, green sharp leaves, flexible branches - birch in northern latitudes is not difficult to find.

Bark

The color of the bark of most birch species is light - from yellowish to reddish-brown. There are trees with black and gray bark. The tree looks white because of betulin - a substance in the cork layer of the bark; it fills all the cavities in this layer. The uppermost layer of bark, called birch bark, is quite thin and easily detached from the trunk. nine0007


Leaves

Leaves entire, arranged alternately on the branches, rounded-triangular in shape, widened at the base and tapering towards the edge, serrated. In autumn they change color to yellow and fall off. Young leaves are covered with a sticky substance.

Kidneys, male and female catkins

Kidneys alternate, covered with sticky spiral scales.

Flowers are divided into male and female. Male, formed into inflorescences, resembling earrings, grow on long shoots of two to four pieces. At first they are green, up to 4 cm long, then they begin to darken. nine0007

Earrings consist of flowers covered with scales; each flower has a perianth with stamens. Covered with resin that protects the stamens from moisture, the flowers hibernate and begin to open in spring.

In the spring, from March to May, the flowers release pollen that is carried by the wind, after which the catkins fall off.


Do you know? Birch trees are male - « birch » and birch for women. They can be distinguished by the direction of growth of the branches - for males, the branches are directed upwards, for females - to the sides. nine0193

Female catkins appear at the ends of short branches that develop from last year's shoots, they are smaller than male ones. Both male and female flowers bloom at the same time.

After fertilization, the female earring increases, she may have a stem; gradually the earring turns into a small "bump". When the fruit is ripe, the earring will fall off.

Fruit

The fruit is a nut, flattened on both sides and surrounded by small membranes. nine0007


Seeds

Light birch seeds - up to 5000 seeds per gram. They are well carried by the wind. They fall in two stages - in autumn and winter. Winter seeds survive well under snow and begin to germinate in a new place in the spring.

Root system

The root system is strong and branched, usually going deep into the soil. Occasionally there are superficial roots. The roots going down branch out at a depth, overgrown with many thin uriculate roots. nine0007

Thanks to this root structure, in the third or fourth year of development, the tree begins to grow rapidly and actively.

Where birch grows

Species diversity determines the wide distribution of birches in the northern hemisphere. These trees coexist comfortably both beyond the Arctic Circle and in the tropics of Asia.

Their wide distribution is also caused by their unpretentiousness to the composition of the soil - they survive both in the permafrost beyond the Arctic Circle and in mountainous areas, and shrubs of the dwarf birch species actively grow in the tundra. nine0007


Main species

There is no exact and unanimous opinion on the number of species of these trees; most botanists agree that there are more than 100 species of the genus Birch in the world. All of them are conditionally divided into four groups:


The most common types:

Some features

There are some features that distinguish birch from many other trees and make it dominant in forests. So, it is this tree that becomes the first in an empty space, whether it is a felling, a conflagration or an outcrop. nine0007

Average height, trunk girth

In most species, the height of the trunk reaches 30 m. Some specimens grow up to 40-45 meters. There are also dwarfs, whose height does not exceed 2-3 meters.

The most common are trees with a girth of the trunk up to 150 cm. But after three or four years the situation changes and growth becomes more active. Due to the high growth rate, young growth can compete with fast-growing grass. nine0007


Do you know? Birch occupies an important place in various ritual and religious folk rituals - the Celts buried the dead in birch-bark hats, and in Orthodoxy, birch branches decorate dwellings and churches on the feast of the Holy Trinity.

Life expectancy

The average life expectancy of a birch is 100-150 years. There are trees that live for 300-400 years.

Frost resistance

Many species tolerate moderate frosts very well. Some survive even in the Arctic, at high negative temperatures. There are also such as the stringy birch and the river birch, which do not tolerate cold well and prefer a temperate climate with mild winters. nine0007

Chemical composition

Different parts of the tree are rich in various chemical elements that determine their useful properties and appearance.

Bark

The bark of almost all varieties contains betulin, a white organic pigment that gives the bark its white color. The content of betulin ranges from 5 to 44%, depending on the type of tree.


Buds

Birch buds contain resins, alkaloids, vitamin C, flavonoids and fatty acids. There are also essential oils. nine0007

Leaves

Leaves are rich in essential oils, dammarane derivatives, coumarins, tannins and flavonoids.

How they are used

Birches have found their application in human activities, medical practice and design.

In landscape design

In landscape design, birch trees are widely used to design ponds, alleys and create group compositions with coniferous plants. Exotic species are also used as central plants of the site. nine0007


Important! It should be remembered that birch has an overwhelming effect on most plants, as it grows and develops faster, drying up the soil around it. In addition, its rotten foliage oppresses many plant species.

In beekeeping

Bees do not collect birch pollen very willingly. But on the other hand, the sticky resin from the leaves and bark serves as a good source of a substance vital for the bee swarm.

In folk medicine

Healers and herbalists actively use birch in their potions. Means based on it heal wounds well, eliminate inflammation, relieve fever, and are an excellent diuretic. And everyone heard about the bath with birch brooms - this is how our ancestors treated colds, wounds and skin diseases, relieved fatigue.

Important! Birch-based products can be dangerous for people with kidney disease and should be used with caution.


Wood

Firewood from this tree give a lot of heat and burn for a long time - this is one of the best breeds for furnaces.

Not suitable as a building material - it starts to rot and decay very quickly, but it is a good material for furniture and various handicrafts. The Karelian birch is especially appreciated with its unusual wood texture.

Good and durable skis, gun stocks, toys are made from birch; it is also suitable as a raw material for the creation of plywood. nine0007

Cap - growth on the trunks - serves as a good material for creating snuff boxes, cigarette cases, various souvenirs.

Tar

This is a liquid obtained from the pyrolysis of wood. Birch tar contains paraffin, creosote, toluene, resins. It was mainly produced in the Russian Empire, exported and was known abroad as "Russian oil".

It was used as a preservative in the leather industry to protect against decay and in the dressing of yuft (soft leather), as a lubricant for wooden parts, including wheels, to protect against insects and pests in the garden.

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