General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Tree
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Full Sun to Partial Shade
Water Preferences: Wet
Wet Mesic
Mesic
Dry Mesic
Dry
Soil pH Preferences: Strongly acid (5.1 – 5.5)
Moderately acid (5.6 – 6.0)
Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5)
Neutral (6.6 – 7.3)
Slightly alkaline (7.4 – 7.8)
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 2 -45.6 °C (-50 °F) to -42.8 °C (-45°F)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 8b
Plant Height: 30-65 feet
Leaves: Good fall color
Deciduous
Broadleaf
Other: Yellow fall color.
Fruiting Time: Late summer or early fall
Flowers: Showy
Other: 1 inch long catkins
Flower Color: Green
Yellow
Other: Male catkins are yellowish-brown, female catkins are greenish in color.
Bloom Size: Under 1"
Flower Time: Spring
Uses: Erosion control
Shade Tree
Medicinal Herb
Will Naturalize
Useful for timber production
Dynamic Accumulator: P (Phosphorus)
Resistances: Humidity tolerant
Pollinators: Wind
Miscellaneous: Tolerates poor soil
Monoecious

Image
Common names
  • Downy Birch
  • White Birch
  • European White Birch

Photo Gallery
Location: Nationale Plantentuin Meise (Meise Botanical Garden)
Date: 2024-01-24
Location: Nationale Plantentuin Meise (Botanical Garden near Brussels)
Date: 2023-01-17
Location: Nationale Plantentuin Meise (Botanical Garden near Brussels)
Date: 2023-01-17
Location: Nationale Plantentuin Meise (Botanical Garden near Brussels)
Location: Nationale Plantentuin Meise (Botanical Garden near Brussels)
Location: Hortus Botanicus Akureyensis - Akureya - Iceland
Location: My garden in Gent, Belgium
Date: 2007-12-21
Location: My garden in Gent, Belgium
Date: 17th December 2012
Location: My garden, Ghent, Belgium
Date: 2015-12-29
Location: Iceland
Date: 2019-07-21
Location: Although the book is called 'The North American Sylva', some non-native trees are included
Date: c. 1865
illustration by Bessa from Michaux's 'The North American Sylva',

photo credit: AfroBrazilian
Location: My garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2013-06-29
Location: My garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2015-08-10
Location: My garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2015-06-09
Location: My garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2015-04-18
Young sprouting leaves
Location: My garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2015-08-11
Downy hairs on leaves and petioles distinguishes it from Betula p
Location: My garden, Gent, Belgium
Date: 2015-08-11
Location: Hortus Botanicus Akureyensis - Akureya - Iceland
Date: 2019-07-29
Location: Hortus Botanicus Akureyensis - Akureya - Iceland
Location: Ghent, Belgium
Date: 2015-08-12
comparison between Betula pubescens and Betula pendula

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