Betula pendula; ‘Silver Birch’

Betula penula commonly known as silver Birch is very recognisable with its papery white bark which can be found in many cities in England and in native woodlands.  This tree is rather elegant with its unusual bark colour and its delicate branches and stems have made this a very popular tree in many different types of planting schemes.

Beltula pendula is pretty hardy tree, it prefers sunny to shaded spots but can grow in woodlands with poor light levels.  Beltula pendula grows well in most soil conditions from well drained to moist, but I most commonly found in damp conditions such as on peat or clay soils.  With little preference to alkali, acidic or neutral soil types as well as favourable to chalk, clay, sand or loamy soil. Making this tree very useful in cities as the soil is normally at a rather of Ph. levels due to pollution and soil conditions due to building developments of industry

In the right conditions Betula Pendula can grow up to 12 to 25 meters; this is if there are few competitors and favourable conditions.

The leaves of the Silver Birch are deciduous being green in spring and summer yet turning yellow in autumn, with triangular leaves about 3-6 mm’s long with serrated toothed edges on both sides.

This Silver Birch was found in a collection of silver birches on the side of a football pitch with well drained soil, as it was facing a clearing it had amounts of sun for most of the day.