Silver birch

Silver birch is grown chiefly for its bark — white, papery, and increasingly fissured with age — and for the fine, weeping quality of its branch tips, which suit an informal or slightly windswept silhouette. Fast growth means frequent light pruning to keep proportions in check, and it prefers full sun and consistent moisture.

Care at a glance

Watering

Check daily in growing season; birch drinks more than most. Roughly every 1 days in spring, 1 in summer, 2 in autumn and 5 in winter.

Light

Full sun.

Winter

Fully hardy; thin bark bruises easily, handle with care. Protect it when the forecast drops below -25 °C.

Feeding

Every 14 days, Apr to Sep, paused in the hottest weeks.

Repotting

Every 2 to 3 years, as buds swell, in Mar.

Growth

Fast growing. Hardy in zones 3 to 7.

The work calendar

Styles that suit it

ChokkanHokidachiMoyogiSokan

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