Betula pendula — Silver Birch

A native tree and dominant colonizer of light soils, and also very commonly planted.

The foliage weeps to varying degrees. The alternate leaves are more triangular than those of Downy Birch and have double toothing. The shoots are usually brown, hairless, and with little white warts. The bark soon develops characteristic vertical black diamonds. The buds are small and blunt.

‘Youngii’ (Young's Weeping Birch) is very common and strongly domed.

‘Laciniata’ (Swedish Birch) is fairly frequent and has deeply cut leaves giving rather feathery foliage.

‘Purpurea’ has dull purple foliage.

 
 

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Copyright © 2007 Philip Brassett