Birch Tree Basics

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It ’s uncommon to find a deciduous tree that makes a large impact in the winter garden , but the birch is an elision . With papery curlicue of barque in colour stray from snow white-hot to cinnamon brown , the birch take center degree in the garden after the farewell go down and other industrial plant go dormant . But the barque is just one of the birch tree tree ’s many attribute . Learn about the qualities that make it a beautiful accession to the landscape no matter what the time of year .

Birches produce on either side of this path in Acadia National Park . Photo by : J.K. Putnam / Alamy Stock Photo .

Birch trees(Betula)are commonly dweller of colder area of the northerly hemisphere because they do n’t fare well in blistering , dry climates . There are about 18 species native to North America , but the ones list here are among the most mutual and provide the greatest decorative value .

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Non - native birch tree include :

In this garden , ‘ Whitespire ’ birches were plant in a scattered fashion to appear as if they grow here naturally . photograph by : Garden World Images Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo .

When to plant:

The best time to plant birch tree is in the give or nightfall , when the land is moist and temperatures are cool . If implant in the gloam , admit at least four to six calendar week before the ground freezes to give the root enough sentence to become established ( seeWhat to Plant in Your Fall Garden ) .

Where to plant:

Because birch are shallow - rooted , they favour a location where the soil remains nerveless and damp while disclose the canopy to plentiful sunlight ( about 6 time of day day by day ) . The ideal spot is the Union or eastward side of a building , where the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree will receive full sun in the morning and some shade during the good afternoon .

Soil:

Birch can thrive in a wide-cut kitchen range of land types , really only objecting to extremely smashed or dry conditions , enjoin Paul Bartlett of Stone Lane Gardens , a medical specialist in birch rod and alder tree . Some birch rod will even develop successfully in wet ground as long as it is not waterlogged . Slightly acidulent soils ( with a pH between 5.0 and 6.5 ) are idealistic , but preferences vary with the species , with river birch favoring a pH below 6.5 while yellow birch is resistant of alkaline conditions . Here are some bakshish for testing the pH of your soil : Garden Soil 101 .

Planting tips:

you could plant birch rod tree diagram in groups or as single specimens , bet on the space available and your design spirit . “ There are no strict rules about planting distances , and if space is circumscribed , three Tree planted in the same hole can create an efficacious mini copse , ” says Bartlett . If you prefer a multi - trunked tree but ca n’t see one at a local nursery , he suggests make the same consequence by planting three tree diagram in one hole with their tooth root almost touching . As the chemical group matures , the trunk will finally allude at the understructure .

Watering:

Most birch tree are sensitive to drouth and grow best in term where their shallow solution organization will be kept cool and moist , specially during the warmth of the summertime . Keep the ground moist to the depth of the roots , especially during the first twosome of years after planting , by soaking it good with a hose . Covering the etymon zona with a 2- to 3 - inch layer of mulch will also assist to retain moisture .

Fertilizing:

Birch trees planted in high - pH soils may demand supplemental iron to prevent yellowing of the leaf ( greensickness ) . Applying a low - nitrogen , dull - tone ending plant food with smoothing iron will help hike up the acidity of the soil and improve nutritive ingestion .

Diseases and pests:

The bronze birch borer is the most threatening pest of cosmetic birch , especially white - barked mixture and trees under stress . Early warning sign of the zodiac of damage are a yellowing and thinning of foliage at the upper crown of the tree diagram and viosterol - shape hollow in the trunk where the borer larvae have made entry . Another common blighter , the birch leafminer , fertilize inside the leave-taking of birch trees and can also have browning of the foliage . See this advicefrom the Morton Arboretum for preventing , identifying , and treating bronze birch stone drill and leafminer approach .

Pruning:

The best metre for pruning birch tree is in late fall or winter when the tree is still dormant . Birches will “ shed blood , ” or lose sap , if you prune them in early spring before the leave emerge . Also avoid pruning birch tree during the summer when birch borers are active , since they are attracted to fresh wound in the barque .

Cleaning:

The only drawback to white barque is that it may begin to look gray and dingy after time . The solution ? Simply give it a honorable scrubdown with water and soft peach soap . This is a nifty beaut treatment for elder birch rod tree because it take out the buildup of stain , lichen , and moss without damaging the barque . See thesebirch cleansing tipsfrom the Chicago Botanic Garden .

USING BIRCHES IN THE GARDEN