Silver Birch Large Trees

Betula pendula: Bareroot Silver Birch Trees in Standard Sizes

The Common Silver Birch tree, Betula pendula, is a handsome, vigorous, slender, medium-sized British native. The pale, near-white bark of mature trees is a lovely feature throughout the year; it is relatively smooth and peels over time, which keeps it looking white and bright. Older trees develop dark ridges as they matures, especially at the base.
The light, feathery canopy of supple, leafy stems hanging from the main branches flutters and sways in the breeze, only casting gentle dappled shade, so many plants can be grown underneath it.
Silver Birch catkins are yellow-green, appearing in early spring and are a valuable source of pollen for insects coming out of hibernation early.

In the right position, it can reach a height of about 25 metres.

Standard trees are the largest size that we deliver; you can also buy younger Silver Birch saplings.
Browse our other birch trees, or our full range of ornamental trees.

Delivery season: Birches are delivered bareroot during late autumn and winter, approximately November-March inclusive.
Choosing a size: Small trees are cheaper, easier to handle and more forgiving of less than ideal aftercare, so they are best for a big planting project. If instant impact is your priority, or if you are only buying a few plants for use in a place where it is convenient to water them well in their first year, then you may as well use bigger ones. All our bareroot trees are measured by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots aren't measured).

Features:

• Likes full sun.
• Any soil, preferably on the moist side.
• White bark provides year round interest.
• Casts relatively light shade.
• Height: Vigorous to 25m
• Bareroot Delivery Only, Nov-March

Growing Silver Birch

It is happy in most soils and prefers a sunny site, but will tolerate light shade. It is commonly found growing wild at the edge of a mature wood and in damp places that larger trees dislike.

Pruning should be kept to a minimum: it tends to spoil their shape, so just remove ill placed and broken or damaged branches in late Autumn, as pruning cuts bleed excessively in Spring and Summer.