Silver Birch – Betula pendula (Mature)

Description

Silver Birch, Betula pendula, has to to be one of the most recognisable trees. It stands out from the others because when it grows towards maturity it shows off with its amazing drooping branches and with its light green triangular shaped leaves hanging on spidery twigs. The leaves are easily identified as Silver Birch by their serrated edges and the twigs are quite rough to the touch. The trunk is equally recognisable as a mature tree it is basically silver, but over some years of growth the white paper bark gives way to the rugged bark underneath causing brown scars around the trunk with a very special natural effect. To identify a young tree from a Down Birch just look carefully at the twig ends. If the twigs are hairless then it is probably a silver birch. We have Silver Birch which is easily seventy or eighty years old. It is still going strong and still produces thousands of very attractive catkins every year. Silver Birch is an ideal tree for any medium or large garden and will grow in any type of soil.