Betula pendula

Betula pendula Details

Betula pendula, commonly known as Silver Birch, is an elegant, medium-sized, deciduous tree renowned for its slender, drooping branches and white bark. The leaves are light green and develop yellow tones in autumn before falling. It bears small, green cones in summer which age to brown and hang on the tree long after the leaves have fallen. It will grow on damp soils and in partial shade conditions but will perform best when planted in full sun on a well-drained site. Under these conditions, it can reach a height of 15 m and spread 10 m wide. It is also tolerant of frost, cool climates, moderate wind, and coastal conditions. Betula pendula is an excellent tree for planting in clusters, for providing light shade, or using for screening and shelter. Its showy bark and fine foliage makes it a lovely specimen and it is well suited to avenue planting.