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Paper BirchBirches
Birches are short lived, fast growing trees. Their bark is papery. All birch are water lovers. Every large old birch I've seen has either been near a spring, creek bed, or septic field. I suspect that the rep they have for short lives comes from outgrowing their water supply. Water it hard, and it will keep growing.
Birches can be planted alone, or in clumps. Some are naturally multi-trunked. Consider birches:
- You have an area that is low, and is wet.
- You have a pond, and want to put a clump of birch on one edge
- You want to create contrast with the pale birch bark against a dark background of spruce.
- You want a quick tree.
The two most common birches are the native paper birch, and the European weeping birch. The weeping birch may be succeptable to Birch Leaf Borer and insect pest that will kill the tree.
Do not plant a birch:
- If your soil is sandy, and drains quickly.
- If your soil is solid clay.
- You can't provide a lot of extra water either through natural drainage or a commitment to watering regularly.
Not all birches have white bark. However they all have barks that differ in appearance between young branches and old. When young, (up to about thumb thick) the branches are dark brown or a reddish brown. In the 4 year or so, the branch will start going lighter starting at it's base. By the time the branch is two inches thick it will have the papery layers and mature appearance.
The birches have a tendency to cross pollenate. Natural hybrids are common.
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