Betula birches are most often associated with a tree with a black and white bark and a melancholic, overhanging crown. They are seen in wastelands, forest edges and other dry, barren places.The most famous birch is Betula pendula, which grows naturally almost all over Europe and Asia, up to Western Siberia and the Caucasus.
Interestingly, this birch is only one of several dozen species of birches occurring in the world. They differ not only in the height, shape and size of the leaves, but also in the appearance of the bark.
Most species of birch trees can be safely planted in gardens as ornamental trees, because they decorate them beautifully in winter. They look particularly good in the company of shrubs with colorful shoots, e.g. many varieties of dogwood or willow, and late winter or early spring flowering plants, e.g. witch hazel, hazelnut, hellebore, bulbous plants.
Birch - the most popular varieties
In recent years, many interesting species and varieties of birch trees with an original habit and interesting bark have appeared on sale, which we can grow in our home gardens. Here are the most interesting of them. Beneficial birch Betula utilis is a tree that grows up to 8-10 meters with an openwork, conical crown and smooth bark. It can grow both in the sun and in partial shade. The white-bark birch that is sought after by many is, for example, 'Doorenbos', 'Long Trunk' or 'White Light', and they are eagerly planted in European gardens.
Birches from A to Z
The 'Doorenbos' variety, often sold under the name Betula jacquemontii, is currently the most popular birch variety on the market. Its chalky white bark contrasts beautifully with the glossy dark green leaves.It grows fast and he althy, it looks great both solo and in a group. Other similar variations include 'Grayswood Ghost' and 'Silver Shadow'.
An interesting variety of useful birch is the English selection called 'Long Trunk'. This tree is characterized by an exceptionally original, weeping, umbrella-like habit and, like the 'Doorenbos' variety, smooth white bark. It reaches a height of less than 5 m. Another interesting variety that is worth planting in parks and gardens is 'White Light' birch.This Irish selection is distinguished by its attractive creamy-white bark with numerous beige stripes - spiracles.These varieties of birch are considered the most decorative.
River birch varieties
The riverside birch of Betula nigra in Poland is even several meters high. Its greatest decoration is flaky bark in various shades of brown and gray. It grows best in a sunny position. He likes fertile, moist and slightly acid soil.
The American variety of riverside birch - 'Fox Valley' - is one of the most valuable birches, completely frost-resistant, recommended primarily for small gardens, as it is only 5-6 m high. It has a flat spherical crown and a curly bark.On young shoots it is gray-brown, flaky like paper.The bark turns white, beige and yellowish on the old trunk. 'Fox Valley' looks beautiful when planted in groups. Then it imitates natural thickets.
The 'Summer Cascade' variety is distinguished by a weeping habit. It is small in size.It looks best in an exposed place, e.g. over a water reservoir. Dahurian birch Betula davurica has an even more spectacular bark structure. It is a multi-stemmed, low tree (it grows up to approx. 8 m) with flaky, intensely brown-gray bark.
Białochińska birch Betula albosinensis grows up to 15 m in Poland, has a loose, broadly conical crown.The greatest decoration of this tree is the white-yellowish-brown-pink bark. Its long (up to 15 cm), hanging male inflorescences are also decorative.This species prefers moderately moist and well-drained soils.In severe winters, it is recommended to cover young specimens with straw or agrotextile. Its recommended variation is 'Fascination'. White Chinese birch is intended for large gardens and parks.
Dwarf birch - betula humilis
Betula humilis grows naturally in Poland and throughout Central Europe, in Eastern Siberia, to northern Mongolia, and in detached sites in the foothills of the Alps and Carpathians.
It is in Poland that the southern border of its range runs.It can be found on low peat bogs, wet meadows and willow thickets in Pomerania, Polesie and the Lublin region.This is the perfect birch for the garden. It is called a glacial relic by ecologists and is under strict species protection.It creates dense shrubs reaching 2-3 m. The bark on the shoots is reddish-brown, and the young shoots are covered with hairs with distinct yellow glands.
Another variety, Betula nana L. dwarf birch, is a low shrub of various heights, growing from 20 to 70 cm.Its shoots overlap and with time they take root. It is the lowest of all naturally occurring birches in Poland.The branches of this shrub lie overlapping and the ends rise up arched. The leaves turn orange or red in autumn. Birch flowers, popularly known as cats, ripen in April.
In gardens, dwarf birch and low birch look good when planted in damp places together with sedges and mud forests. They can also grow in naturalistic beds with heathers and in rock gardens. In autumn they turn red and yellow, then the bushes are very decorative.Run in a stalk form, which is obtained as a result of grafting, they create picturesque low trees, suitable for planting in containers. They grow well in moist, acidic soils, in a sunny or semi-shaded position. Where can you buy birch seedlings? Rather, it is available in nurseries specializing in the cultivation of trees and shrubs.
Birch - preferred position
The genus Betula includes many species that do well in our climate zone.They should be planted as often as possible in home gardens and parks, not only due to the various soil requirements, interesting shape of the crown, but most of all the beauty of their bark: color and its structure.It is worth remembering that if you want to additionally emphasize the beauty of the bark of these trees, you should plant them against a suitable background and plant them with plants of a selected height.
White-bark birches, e.g. 'Doorenbos' or 'White Light', look attractive against a dark green background (e.g. black pine), while in spring they contrast beautifully with their bark with blooming lungwort, glaucoma, and hepatica.The riverside birch of 'Fox Valley' looks great against the background of a brick wall, planted with evergreen periwinkle.
Birch juice
Juices begin to circulate intensively in the birches around mid-March. It takes about 2-3 weeks until the buds begin to turn into leaves.During these several days, trees take up large amounts of water and microelements from the ground, which are converted into nutrients and supplied to all, even the most distant parts of the shoots.
Our ancestors collected and drank juice to strengthen and cleanse the body after an exhausting winter. They knew what they were doing, because birch sap, as in Old Polish is called birch sap, contains valuable sugars, organic acids and microelements that work almost like an elixir of youth: they are good for the kidneys, they have a beneficial effect on the skin.
Taking birch sap
There are two basic techniques for collecting sap: branches and stumps.The first one is less efficient and recommended for single use. It consists in cutting off the tip of the shoot and inserting bottles on it.The bottle should be tied to the branch with a string, and preferably sealed with adhesive tape, so that no impurities or ant juice can get in (it is good to filter the collected juice through gauze or a fine-mesh strainer).
The second method of collecting juice is more invasive, but more efficient, and consists in drilling a small hole in the trunk. Its depth should not exceed 5 cm. There is no reason to drill deeper, as the most sap still circulates in the outer part of the trunk, not in the middle.
The diameter of the hole should not exceed 5 mmThe hole should be drilled at the height of the knees, preferably on the northern side, and a wooden, plastic or metal tube should be inserted into it (you can slide a flexible hose over it).Place a large glass vessel under such a makeshift tap.In accordance with an unwritten code of good practice, we drill only one borehole in one tree to collect the juice at a time. We choose adult trees with a trunk diameter of approx. 20 cm. After collecting the juice, plug the hole with a wooden peg or seal it with resin, and cover the damaged trunk with garden ointment.Birch trees are durable trees and even the loss of a few liters of juice should not weaken their vitality.
Advantages of birch sap
Birch sap has a barely perceptible sweetish taste.Although it is basically odorless, it quickly absorbs odors from the environment. After harvesting, it should be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 3-5 days. In shops you can find pasteurized bottled juices, flavored with chokeberry, rosehip, apple and lemon.Natural juice can be served with a slice of orange or lime, only cold. We never heat up the juice.From one tree, we can collect up to 5 liters of liquid per day, ultimately it depends on the location and size of the tree.In the cleansing treatment, it is recommended to drink three glasses of juice a day. Soup harvesting has a long tradition, especially in Russia, while maple sap harvesting is popular in Canada. The healing properties of birch are therefore very beneficial to human he alth.
