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Betula pubescens - Ehrh.

Common Name White Birch, Downy birch
Family Betulaceae
USDA hardiness 2-9
Known Hazards The aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons in birch tar are irritating to the skin. Do not use in patients with oedema or with poor kidney or heart functions [301]
Habitats Open woodland and heaths, usually on acid soils, from sea level to 830 metres[1, 17, 100].
Range Most of Europe, including Britain, east to W. Siberia and central Asia.
Edibility Rating    (3 of 5)
Other Uses    (5 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (3 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Well drained soil Moist Soil Wet Soil Full sun
Betula pubescens White Birch,  Downy birch


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Betula pubescens White Birch,  Downy birch
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Betula_pubescens_-_Burgwald_001.jpg

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of lolypop
Betula pubescens is a deciduous Tree growing to 20 m (65ft) by 10 m (32ft) at a fast rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 1. It is in flower in April, and the seeds ripen from August to September. The species is monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and is pollinated by Wind.
It is noted for attracting wildlife.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay and nutritionally poor soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid soils.
It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry moist or wet soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Betula alba var. pubescens, Betula alba subsp. pubescens

Plant Habitats

Woodland Garden Canopy; Secondary; Sunny Edge; Bog Garden;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Flowers  Inner bark  Leaves  Sap
Edible Uses: Tea

Inner bark - cooked or dried, ground into a powder then used with cereals for making bread etc[2, 15, 46]. Inner bark is generally only seen as a famine food, used when other forms of starch are not available or are in short supply[177, K]. Sap - raw or cooked. A sweet flavour[2, 15, 177]. Harvested in early spring, before the leaves unfurl, by tapping the trunk. The flow is best on sunny days following a heavy frost. The sap is often concentrated into a sugar by boiling off the water. Between 4 and 7 litres can be drawn off a mature tree in a day and this will not kill the tree so long as the tap hole is filled up afterwards[115]. However, prolonged or heavy tapping will kill the tree. A beer can be fermented from the sap. An old English recipe for the beer is as follows:- "To every Gallon of Birch-water put a quart of Honey, well stirr'd together; then boil it almost an hour with a few Cloves, and a little Limon-peel, keeping it well scumm'd. When it is sufficiently boil'd, and become cold, add to it three or four Spoonfuls of good Ale to make it work...and when the Test begins to settle, bottle it up . . . it is gentle, and very harmless in operation within the body, and exceedingly sharpens the Appetite, being drunk ante pastum."[269]. Young leaves - raw or cooked[15, 177]. Young catkins[15]. No more details are given. A tea is made from the leaves[15] and another tea is made from the essential oil in the inner bark[21].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Antirheumatic  Antiseborrheic  Astringent  Bitter  Diaphoretic  Diuretic  Eczema  Lithontripic  
Miscellany  Skin  Urinary

Anti-inflammatory, cholagogue, diaphoretic[21, 165, 201]. The bark is diuretic and laxative[7]. The inner bark is bitter and astringent, it is used in treating intermittent fevers[4]. An oil obtained from the inner bark is astringent and is used in the treatment of various skin afflictions, especially eczema and psoriasis[4, 238]. The bark is usually obtained from trees that have been felled for timber and can be distilled at any time of the year[238]. The buds are balsamic[7]. The young shoots and leaves secrete a resinous substance which has acid properties, when combined with alkalis it is a tonic laxative[4]. The leaves are anticholesterolemic and diuretic[7]. They also contain phytosides, which are effective germicides[7]. An infusion of the leaves is used in the treatment of gout, dropsy and rheumatism, and is recommended as a reliable solvent of kidney stones[4]. The young leaves and leaf buds are harvested in the spring and dried for later use[238]. A decoction of the leaves and bark is used for bathing skin eruptions[4]. The vernal sap is diuretic[4]. The boiled and powdered wood has been applied to chafed skin[257]. Moxa is made from the yellow fungous excrescences of the wood, which sometimes swell out of the fissures[4]. The German Commission E Monographs, a therapeutic guide to herbal medicine, approve Betula species for infections of the urinary tract, kidney and bladder stones, rheumatism (see [302] for critics of commission E).

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Adhesive  Besom  Charcoal  Compost  Dye  Essential  Fibre  Fungicide  Miscellany  Paper  Pioneer  Polish  Repellent  Tannin  Thatching  Waterproofing  Wood

The bark is used to make drinking vessels, canoe skins, roofing tiles etc. It is waterproof, durable, tough and resinous[11, 61]. Only the outer bark is removed, this does not kill the tree. It is most easily removed in late spring to early summer. The bark was pressed flat and stored until the following spring. When required for making canoes it would be heated over a fire to make it pliable for shaping to the canoe frame[257]. A pioneer species, it readily invades old fields, cleared or burnt-over land and creates conditions suitable for other woodland trees to become established. Since it is relatively short-lived and intolerant of shade, it is eventually out-competed by these trees[11, 186]. A tar-oil is obtained from the white bark in spring. It has fungicidal properties and is also used as an insect repellent[4, 14, 61, 100]. It makes a good shoe polish[61]. Another report says that an essential oil is obtained from the bark and this, called 'Russian Leather' has been used as a perfume[245]. A glue is made from the sap. Cordage can be made from the fibres of the inner bark. This inner bark can also be separated into thin layers and used as a substitute for oiled paper[4]. A decoction of the inner bark is used to preserve cordage, it is rich in tannin. The bark contains up to 16% tannin[223]. A brown dye is obtained from the inner bark. An oil similar to Wintergreen oil (obtained from Gaultheria procumbens) is obtained from the inner bark[21, 61]. It is used medicinally and also makes a refreshing tea[21]. The young branches are very flexible and are used to make whisks, besoms etc[6]. They are also used in thatching and to make wattles[4]. The leaves are a good addition to the compost heap, improving fermentation[20]. A black paint is obtained from the soot of the plant[61]. A high quality charcoal is obtained from the bark. It is used by artists, painters etc. Wood - soft, light, durable. It is used for a wide range of purposes including furniture, tool handles, carving, toys etc[100, 238]. It is a source of charcoal that is used by artists and is also pulped and used for making paper[238].

Special Uses

Attracts Wildlife  Dynamic accumulator  Food Forest  Scented Plants

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Succeeds in a well-drained light loamy soil in a sunny position[11, 200]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Tolerates a wet position[11, 24], succeeding in poorly drained soils[186]. Fairly wind tolerant[200]. Prefers an acid soil. A very ornamental tree and fast growing, capable of growing 1 metre a year but it is short-lived[186]. It is one of the first trees to colonize open land and it creates a suitable environment for other woodland trees to follow[11]. These trees eventually shade out the birch trees[186]. Trees take about 15 years from seed to produce their own seed[98]. Although closely related, it does not usually hybridize with B. pendula[11]. It hybridizes freely with B. pendula according to another report[186]. A superb tree for encouraging wildlife, it has over 200 associated insect species[24, 30]. A good plant to grow near the compost heap, aiding the fermentation process[14, 20]. It is also a good companion plant, its root activity working to improve the soil[14]. Trees are notably susceptible to honey fungus[200].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

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Plant 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].

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Range

TEMPERATE ASIA: Russian Federation-Ciscaucasia (Ciscaucasia), Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russian Federation-Western Siberia (Western Siberia), Russian Federation-Eastern Siberia (Eastern Siberia) NORTHERN AMERICA: Greenland (south), Canada (Newfoundland and Labrador) EUROPE: Denmark, Finland, United Kingdom, Ireland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Russian Federation (European part), Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Moldova, Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Italy, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, France, Portugal

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

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12

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

Ehrh.

Botanical References

1117200

Links / References

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Readers comment

Rich LaSpina   Sun Jun 15 2008

I would like to learn more about this wonderful tree that attracks woodpeckers. I would like to speak to someone who would talk to me in person about saving the life of a branch that was riped from a young tree where I work, so I can undo the harm that they have done by propigating this branch, if possible. please teach me-- Please help me.

   Jun 27 2011 12:00AM

The leaves smelled incredibly good. Eaten raw, they are ok, they taste strongly similar to its scent, and are a bit oily. Not the leaves that I would eat a lot, but still edible and ok. As a tea, the leaves are great, and also with medicinal effects. I still have to try to sap, but it a traditional thing here in Iceland, drilling a hole into the bark to extract the sweet liquid. The tree attracts a lot of wildlife and insects.

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