Downy Birch

Do you want to plant a Downy Birch? Here you will find all the information you need on how to best plant the Downy Birch, and on pruning and caring for your Downy Birch.
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General characteristics of a Downy Birch

Birches are fast-growing trees with ascending or drooping branches, long, drooping catkins in spring, light green leaves, and usually white bark. They are immediately recognizable by their distinctive bark, which often flakes off. They develop beautiful autumn colors.

Spotting the difference between our two native birch species, Silver Birch and Downy Birch, isn't easy. Downy Birch has hairs on the underside of the leaf between the midrib and the lateral vein. This characteristic should be observed in older, mature leaves, as young Silver Birch leaves can also be hairy. The young branches of the Downy Birch are hairy, while those of the Silver Birch are not. You can also look at the ends of the branches; these usually hang downward on the Silver Birch, which isn't the case with the Downy Birch.

Characteristics


How to plant a Downy Birch

Place the roots at least 10 cm underground and cover with soil.

How to harvest a Downy Birch

Very easy to sow.

Caring for and pruning your Downy Birch

Do not prune this tree species after December 31st; there is a high risk that the tree will bleed to death.

Where does a Downy Birch grow

Downy birch is a pioneer tree species in forests on fairly moist to wet, peaty or sandy to loamy, rather nutrient-poor, and acidic soils. The species is less common on drier soils. It is a fast-growing, light-requiring tree that only lives for 80 to 100 years. In forests on acidic, fairly nutrient-poor soils, the species is primarily found in moister, brighter locations. In wet heathlands and during siltation stages of nutrient-poor water, it often acts as a pioneer in spontaneous afforestation.


General

Origin
Native
Tree Type Deciduous tree

Length and Age

Length in about 10 years 5 Up to 15 Meter
Reproductive Maturity in How Many Years 10 Up to 50 year
Maximum Age 80 Up to 100 year
Required Space 9 Up to 12m2
Growth Rate

Reproduction

Tree is Self-Pollinating No
Reproduction Method
Makes seedlings
Reproduction rate

Reproduction rate

1. Very low reproduction rate. The plant hardly spreads, has few seeds or vegetative spread (e.g., trees with heavy seeds).
2. Low reproduction rate. Spread via limited seed production or specific conditions required
3. Average reproduction rate. Regular spread, depending on wind, water, or animals, at a moderate speed (e.g., dandelion).
4. High reproduction rate. Many seeds and multiple spread strategies (wind, birds, vegetative). Quickly colonizes open spaces
5. Very high reproduction rate. Invasive species that spread explosively over large distances (e.g., Japanese knotweed).

Pruning Period

This Tree is Evergreen No
Summer June tot July
Winter November tot December
Leaf Shapes Oval
Easy to prune Yes

Bark Characteristics Seedling (50-200cm)

Lenticels No
Colour

Bud Characteristics Seedling (50-200cm)

Colour
Bud Position
Varied
Bud Shape
Pointed

Other

Root
Deeply rooted
Bloom
Has catkins
Wind sensitivity Not sensitive to (sea) wind

Diseases

Sensitive to the Following Diseases
Archips betulana
Berkenbeteeltor

Harvest/recognition in winter

Thin branches and seedlings have brown bark. The bark whitens as the tree ages.

Light requirement of the Downy Birch

The Downy Birch thrives best under these light conditions.
  • Full sun

    • Suitable soil types for the Downy Birch

    In this overview, you can find which soil types are best for the Downy Birch to grow.
    Soil type Suitability
    light clay
    heavy clay
    sand
    peatland
    Loam
    Moerig op zand
    Lichte zavel
    Zware zavel

    Humidity

    A (ground)water level indicates how deep the groundwater usually is below the surface. The higher the Roman numeral, the deeper the groundwater.
    I
    II
    III
    IV
    V
    VI
    VII
    VIII

    Suitable acidity level for the Downy Birch

    Each soil type has a certain acidity level, measured in pH values. You can plant the Downy Birch in soil that falls within this range:
    0.0
    0.5
    1.0
    1.5
    2.0
    2.5
    3.0
    3.5
    4.0
    4.5
    5.0
    5.5
    6.0
    6.5
    7.0
    7.5
    8.0
    8.5
    9.0

    Nutritional needs of the Downy Birch

    Some soil types offer more nutritional richness than others.
    1.0
    1.5
    2.0
    2.5
    3.0
    3.5
    4.0
    4.5
    5.0
    5.5
    6.0
    6.5
    7.0
    7.5
    8.0
    8.5
    9.0
    1. Very nutrient-poor soil
    2. Very nutrient-poor to nutrient-poor soil
    3. Nutrient-poor soil
    4. Nutrient-poor to moderately nutrient-rich soil
    5. Moderately nutrient-rich soil
    6. Moderately nutrient-rich to nutrient-rich soil
    7. Nutrient-rich soil
    8. Extremely nutrient-rich soil
    9. Very extremely nutrient-rich soil

    Humidity

    Does Downy Birch like to have its roots in extremely dry (1.0) or wet (9.0) soil?
    1.0
    1.5
    2.0
    2.5
    3.0
    3.5
    4.0
    4.5
    5.0
    5.5
    6.0
    6.5
    7.0
    7.5
    8.0
    8.5
    9.0
    1. Extremely dry soils
    2. Extremely dry to dry soils
    3. Dry soils
    4. Dry to dry/moist soils
    5. Dry/moist soils
    6. Dry/moist to moist soils
    7. Moist soils
    8. Moist to wet soils
    9. Wet soils

    To be applied in landscapes

    0 = not filled in, 1 = unsuitable, 5 = very suitable
    Landscape Suitability
    Agroforestry
    Hedge
    Hedge
    Forest
    Feeding hedge
    Back yard
    Small back yard
    Solitary
    Wood wall

    Cultural-historical value

    0 = not filled in, 1 = low, 9 = high

    Insects

    How many insects typically live on this tree/plant? 334
    Which insect groups live on this tree/plant?
    Are there insects dependent on this species? No
    Which insect species are dependent on this tree/plant?

    Birds

    Average number of birds per tree/plant?
    Which bird groups live on this tree/plant?

    Mammals

    Average number of mammals per tree/plant?
    Which mammal groups live on this tree/plant?
    Are there mammals dependent on this species? No
    Which mammal species are dependent on this tree/plant?

    Bloom Period

    Summer April Up to May

    Tree Species

    Tree species that this tree prefers to grow with

    Suitable for mammals?

    toxic, 1 = unsuitable, 5 = very suitable
    Mammal Suitability
    Horse
    Human
    Goat
    Cow
    Herbivorous rodents
    Chicken
    Sheep
    Pig
    Beavers
    Badgers
    Squirrel
    Ferret
    Deer
    Dog
    Cat
    Mouse
    Roe deer
    Wild boar
    Foxes

    Explanation

    Explanation

    Edibility

    • Toxic: This tree or shrub is toxic to mammals and absolutely unsuitable for consumption.
    1. Very unsuitable: This tree or shrub is unsuitable for consumption by mammals and can be harmful.
    2. Unsuitable: This tree or shrub is generally unsuitable for consumption by mammals and can have adverse effects.
    3. Moderately suitable: This tree or shrub is moderately suitable as food for mammals, possibly with certain risks or limitations.
    4. Suitable: This tree or shrub is generally suitable as food for mammals, with little to no risks.
    5. Very suitable: This tree or shrub is very suitable as food for mammals, safe, and of high nutritional value.


    Trunk Height

    Average Trunk Height (hg) of the basal area median tree

    from - to, in whole meters, average

    Information not available

    Trunk Diameter

    (dg) (1.30m) of the basal area median tree.

    from - to, in whole centimeters, average

    Information not available

    Aboveground Biomass

    in whole kg

    Information not available

    Belowground Biomass

    in whole kg

    Information not available

    Substance Binder

    Which substances can be bound or absorbed?
    CO2
    Particulate matter

    Carbon Attraction (kf)

    (dg) (1.30m) of the basal area median tree Deciduous Trees (Kf = 0,48)

    Warming Resistance

    This tree is well resistant to the warming (plus 3 degrees) of our climate and fits into the future of our climate (heat and drought resistant). No
    CO2
    Particulate matter

    CO2

    0. not filled in
    1. no storage
    2. low storage
    3. moderate storage
    4. high storage
    5. very high storage

    Fine Dust

    0. not filled in
    1. no capture capacity
    2. low capture capacity
    3. moderate capture capacity
    4. high capture capacity
    5. very high capture capacity

    This is what an adult tree Downy Birch looks like

    Downy birch - mature trees
    The bark of the downy birch tree
    Downy birch in winter

    This is what a Downy Birch in bloom looks like

    The downy birch tree in bloom

    This is what the bud of a Downy Birch looks like

    Buds of the downy birch tree