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The leaves
are alternate,
oval to wedge-shaped, about 2.5-5 cm long with narrow pointed
tips, and are hairless. The margins are clearly double-toothed
whilst the leaf stalks are 1-2 cm long and also hairless.
ID
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Silver
birch is a deciduous
tree with a single trunk up to 30m in height and it has
pendulous branches. Silver birch grows in woods and on
heathland especially on light sandy soils. It is more
tolerant of dry soils than downy birch.
The young
shoots are hairless and shiny and often covered in tiny
white warts (lenticels).
The bark
of mature trees is silvery-white but with black,
diamond-shaped patches near the base.
The male
and female catkins
are on the same tree (monoecious)
and open in April. The pendant males are 3-6 cm long, whilst
the erect females are short, 1-2 cm long.
Facts
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Silver
birch is one of the most valuable trees for wildlife
supporting 230 species of insect including buff tip moths
and sawflies.
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The
whitish timber is much used for furniture-making, wooden
floors and broom-heads.
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The
twigs are valuable for making besom brooms, forest-fire
beaters and jumps for steeplechasers.
Downy
birch (B. pubescens) is similar. Hybrids
between the two species are, however, commonly found.
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