Betula pendula (Silver birch)
A native British tree
- A medium tree growing dry light soil conditions but can tolerate wet soils.
- Due to is fast growing short lived nature it is often planted as a pioneer tree to companion slower growing oak and beech to provide shelter during their development
- Its wood is good for paper production and firewood
- The distinctive white barked tree is an important conservation species as its production of up to a million seeds a year support many seed eating birds such as siskins and redpolls
- Mature height 17 metres
- A good choice for woodland planting, parkland and re-wilded river side and scrub woodlands
