Silver birch

How to recognise it

Its white bark peels in thin layers and turns dark and rough near the ground. Thin twigs hang down from the branches, and in spring the tree is covered in yellow catkins.

In the forest

Birch is a pioneer: it grows quickly on open land and prepares the ground for slower trees. Its fallen leaves enrich the soil, and hundreds of insect species live on it, which in turn feed many birds.

Did you know?

In early spring birches can be tapped for sap, a slightly sweet drink that has been gathered in the north for centuries.

Why we plant it