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|taxo_author=Roth.
|taxo_author=Roth.
|common_name=Silver Birch
|common_name=Silver Birch
|habit=tree
|Min ht box=15
|Min ht metric=ft
|Max ht box=20
|Max ht metric=m
|Max wd box=15
|Max wd metric=m
|lifespan=perennial
|exposure=sun, part-sun
|water=moist, moderate, dry
|water_ref=Plants for a Future
|features=deciduous, foliage
|flower_season=early spring
|Temp Metric=°F
|Temp Metric=°F
|jumpin=If this plant info box on watering; zones; height; etc. is mostly empty you can click on the edit tab and fill in the blanks!
|min_zone=2
|image=Betula Pendula at Stockholm University 2005-07-01.jpg
|usda_ref=Plants for a future
|image=Betula pendula Finland.jpg
|image_width=240
|image_width=240
|image_caption=Betula pendula
|image_caption=Betula pendula
{{Inc|
{{Inc|
Betula pendula, Roth (B.verrucosa, Ehrh. B. alba, Linn., in part). Tree, to 60 ft., with slender, in older trees usually pendulous, branches: young branchlets usually glandular: Lvs. rhombic-ovate,¾- 2½ in. long, glutinous is when young, glabrous, usually cuneate, sometimes truncate at the base, acuminate, doubly serrate; petioles slender, about 1 in. long: strobiles cylindric, about 1 in. long, slender-peduncled, usually pendulous: wings of nutlet about one and a half to two and a half times as broad as its body. Eu. to Japan. Var. "Tauschii, Rehd. (B. japonica, Sieb. B. alba var. Tauschii, Shirai. B. pendula var. japonica, Rehd.). Lvs. broadly ovate, truncate or sometimes subcordate at the base, sometimes puberulous beneath and often with tufts of hairs in the axils. Var. dalecarlica, Schneid. (B. laciniata, Wahl. B. hybrida, Blom). Lvs. more or less deeply lobed with irregularly serrate-acuminate lobes: branches on older trees pendulous.—A very graceful tree. Var. fastigiata, Koch (B. alba fastigiata, Carr. B. pendula pyramidalis, Dipp.). With straight upright branches, forming a narrow columnar pyramid. Var. tristis, Schneid. With very slender, strongly pendulous branches, forming a round regular head. Var. Youngii, Schneid. (B. alba pendula Youngii, Moore. B. pendula elegans, Dipp. B. alba elegantissima pendula, Hort.). Branches very slender, strongly pendulous; primary branches spreading or recurved, forming an irregular picturesque head; similar in habit to the weeping beech. Var. gracilis, Rehd. (B.alba laciniata gracilis pendula, Hort. B. elegans laciniata, Hort.). Habit like the preceding, with laciniate Lvs. Much slenderer and smaller and of slower growth than var. dalecarlica. Var. purpurea, Schneid. (B.vulgaris purpurea, Andre. B. alba atropurpurea, Lauche. B. pubescens atropurpurea, Zabel). Lvs. dark purple.
Betula pendula, Roth (B.verrucosa, Ehrh. B. alba, Linn., in part). Tree, to 60 ft., with slender, in older trees usually pendulous, branches: young branchlets usually glandular: Lvs. rhombic-ovate,¾- 2½ in. long, glutinous is when young, glabrous, usually cuneate, sometimes truncate at the base, acuminate, doubly serrate; petioles slender, about 1 in. long: strobiles cylindric, about 1 in. long, slender-peduncled, usually pendulous: wings of nutlet about one and a half to two and a half times as broad as its body. Eu. to Japan. Var. "Tauschii, Rehd. (B. japonica, Sieb. B. alba var. Tauschii, Shirai. B. pendula var. japonica, Rehd.). Lvs. broadly ovate, truncate or sometimes subcordate at the base, sometimes puberulous beneath and often with tufts of hairs in the axils. Var. dalecarlica, Schneid. (B. laciniata, Wahl. B. hybrida, Blom). Lvs. more or less deeply lobed with irregularly serrate-acuminate lobes: branches on older trees pendulous.—A very graceful tree. Var. fastigiata, Koch (B. alba fastigiata, Carr. B. pendula pyramidalis, Dipp.). With straight upright branches, forming a narrow columnar pyramid. Var. tristis, Schneid. With very slender, strongly pendulous branches, forming a round regular head. Var. Youngii, Schneid. (B. alba pendula Youngii, Moore. B. pendula elegans, Dipp. B. alba elegantissima pendula, Hort.). Branches very slender, strongly pendulous; primary branches spreading or recurved, forming an irregular picturesque head; similar in habit to the weeping beech. Var. gracilis, Rehd. (B.alba laciniata gracilis pendula, Hort. B. elegans laciniata, Hort.). Habit like the preceding, with laciniate Lvs. Much slenderer and smaller and of slower growth than var. dalecarlica. Var. purpurea, Schneid. (B.vulgaris purpurea, Andre. B. alba atropurpurea, Lauche. B. pubescens atropurpurea, Zabel). Lvs. dark purple.
}}
}}
==Cultivation==
==Cultivation==
Successful birch cultivation requires a climate cool enough for at least the occasional winter chill. Shallow rooted they require water during dry periods, growing best in full dun or dappled shade. They require deep, moist, fertile soil.<ref>Botanicas' Trees & Shrubs, Random House, Sydney, 2005</ref>
Successful birch cultivation requires a climate cool enough for at least the occasional winter chill. Shallow rooted they require water during dry periods, growing best in full dun or dappled shade. They require deep, moist, fertile soil.<ref>Botanicas' Trees & Shrubs, Random House, Sydney, 2005</ref>
The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, requires well-drained soil and can grow in heavy clay and nutritionally poor soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid soil. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.
A very easily grown plant, it tolerates most soils including poor ones[1, 24], sandy soils[188] and heavy clays. It prefers a well-drained loamy soil in a sunny position[11, 200]. It is occasionally found on calcareous soils in the wild but it generally prefers a pH below 6.5, doing well on acid soils[186]. Fairly wind tolerant[200] though it becomes wind shaped when exposed to strong winds[K]. The silver birch is a very ornamental tree[1] with many named varieties[11, 200]. It also has a very wide range of economic uses. It is a fast growing tree, increasing by up to 1 metre a year, but is short-lived[17, 200]. It is often one of the first trees to colonize open land and it creates a suitable environment for other woodland trees to follow[17]. These trees eventually out-compete and shade out the birch trees[17, 186]. It makes an excellent nurse tree for seedling trees, though its fine branches can cause damage to nearby trees when blown into them by the wind. Trees take about 15 years from seed to produce their own seed[98]. Although closely related, it does not usually hybridize with B. pubescens[11]. It often hybridizes with B. pubescens according to another report[186]. A superb tree for encouraging wildlife, it has 229 associated insect species[24]. A good plant to grow near the compost heap, aiding the fermentation process[14, 20]. It is also a good companion plant, its root action working to improve the soil[14]. Trees are notably susceptible to honey fungus[200].
===Propagation===
===Propagation===
Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a light position in a cold frame[78, 80, 113, 134]. Only just cover the seed and place the pot in a sunny position[78, 80, 134]. Spring sown seed should be surface sown in a sunny position in a cold frame[113, 134]. If the germination is poor, raising the temperature by covering the seed with glass can help[134]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. If you have sufficient seed, it can be sown in an outdoor seedbed, either as soon as it is ripe or in the early spring - do not cover the spring sown seed. Grow the plants on in the seedbed for 2 years before planting them out into their permanent positions in the winter[78, 80, 113, 134].
===Pests and diseases===
===Pests and diseases===
==References==
==References==
<references/>
<references/>
*[http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Betula+pendula Plants for a Future] - source for some creative commons text
*[[Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture]], by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963
*[[Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture]], by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963
<!--- xxxxx *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381 -->
<!--- xxxxx *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381 -->