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Betula pendula
formerly B. alba and B. verrucosa |
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European White Birch |
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2 to 6 |
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Northern Europe (including
U.K.), especially high altitudes
and parts of
Northern Asia. |
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Pyramidal to oval canopy. |
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40 to 50 feet - Medium to fast growth rate. |
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Staminate flowers
1.5 to 3 inches in length usually in 2's. |
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Alternate, simple, broadly ovate, sometimes rhomboidal
to diamond-shaped, 1 to 3” long, 3/4 to 1 1/2” wide,
slenderly tapered at apex, broadly wedge-shaped or
truncate at base; doubly serrate, glabrous, lustrous
dark green, dotted with glands on both surfaces;
petiole-1/2 to 3/4” long. |
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lmbricate, curved,
pointed, brownish black. |
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Whitish, does not
peel (exfoliate) to degree of
Paper
Birch; with age trunk becomes black with
relatively small amount of white bark showing. |
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Small nutlet about
3/4 to 1 1/4 inches long in cylindrical catkins. |
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Birch leaf miner and bronze birch borer. |
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‘Birkaiensis’(Also spelled ‘Bircaiensis’) - Each leaf
has 3 or 4 acute lobes on each margin that reach one
half way to the middle, tree is columnar in habit.
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var.
crispa - Confused with ‘Dalecarlica’ but the leaves are more
regularly and less deeply cut; often listed as
‘Laciniata’
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‘Dalecarlica’ - A very distinct tree, branches and
leaves pendulous; the
leaves are lobed to within 1/8 to 1/4” of the
midrib, the lobes lanceolate, coarsely toothed with
long slender points, ends of basal lobes
curving backward.
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‘Elegans’ - Branches hanging almost perpendicularly,
leader erect.
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‘Fastigiata’ - Branches erect, of columnar habit,
resembling a Lombardy Poplar.
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‘Golden Cloud’ - lntroduced by
Bressingham Gardens in
England for ‘the gleaming’ bark of the Silver
(White) Birch and in late spring reddish shoots
emerge, unfolding as bright golden leaves. The
leaves become deeper gold in the summer in sun, less
intense in partial shade; fall color is yellow.
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‘Gracilis’ - A small tree without a central leader (15
to 20’), with finely cut leaves and drooping
branches; stems are produced in clusters like
elongated witches brooms, almost ponytail-like.
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‘Obelisk' -
Upright like
‘Fastigiata’ with a narrower crown and whiter bark;
strong straight ascending branches, leaves normal.
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‘Purple Rain’ - New foliage displays vivid
purple color that is retained through the season.
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‘Purpurea’ - Leaves deep reddish purple gradually
losing the strong color during the summer.
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‘Rocky Mountain Splendor' -
Broadly pyramidal to oval
tree with medium green summer foliage that turns
yellow in fall, has white bark.
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‘Tristis’ - A clone similar to ‘Elegans’ developing a
central leader, the side branches extending and
arching, forming a tall ovate crown, leaves normal.
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