Classification of common birch. Birch deciduous tree

At least 120 species of birch grow from the subtropics to the tundra. At least 40 species are known in the territory former USSR. The maximum height of trees is 45 meters, the standard is no more than 30. Birch bark is usually smooth and covered with a thin layer of birch bark. Cork peels off as the tree grows. The bark is often white, yellowish, pink, less often brown and gray. Birch has flowers and catkins, and its leaves vary in shape from round to jagged. The tree is mostly frost-resistant. Wood is practically not used for construction, which does not prevent its use in other areas.

Of the 4 dozen varieties of birch, most are suitable for the chemical industry and for making furniture. This is largely due to physical indicators, which indicate that the tree is not very dense, does not have the required hardness, and is at the same time susceptible to detrimental destruction over time. Nevertheless, there are varieties of birch that are considered very valuable and can be used in various sectors of the national economy.

A few words about common birch:

Hanging

This birch species reaches a maximum height of 30 meters when mature. It comes after her eighth birthday. Then the brown tree trunk turns white. The wood is painted yellowish-white. This is one of the heaviest and quite dense woods.

The second name is warty birch, this species received due to the fact that the tree is covered with resin warts. A young birch tree has straight branches. And the old one has sagging downwards. The leaves are shaped like a diamond. Silver birch blooms in May or June. The flowers are brown. It grows in wooded, mountainous areas, as well as on plains throughout Russia.

The tree is very light-loving, its lifespan can reach 120 years. Valued for its high calorific value. Used in the production of charcoal, skis and plywood. Wood performance deserves 5 points.

Photo of silver birch

Dwarf

This is a branched shrub very similar to a large birch. It grows in northern regions Russia and throughout Canada. Selects mountainous or swampy terrain. The leaves of the plant are small, dark green above, light below. Earrings small size have oval shape. The bark of an adult plant is smooth, Brown, covered with a cork layer.

The shrub grows slowly, but is able to withstand critical low temperatures. In the North, dwarf birch leaves are used as food for deer. And the trunk and branches for the fire. Dwarf birch is also used in landscape design.

Photo of dwarf birch

Karelian

The neighbor of silver birch in the forests of Karelia, Belarus, Lithuania and the northwestern regions of the European part of Russia is often Karelian birch. The tree has a special burl (growth) on the trunk. It is highly prized for its interesting texture.

It is a subspecies of silver birch and grows in small groups. There are three types:

• short,
• medium height,
• tall.

The wood pattern is the most beautiful and unique. for creating sculptural compositions, dishes, and other crafts. Karelian birch wood is one of the most valuable and it is often the symbol of the North of Russia.

Photo of Karelian birch

Daurian (Korean)

Black birch reaches a height of 25 meters. Grows on the lower slopes of mountains in Japan, Northern China, Korea, Mongolia and the Far East. It is believed that where there is this birch there is good soil for farming. Leaves are oval dark green. Loves light and moisture. Most often used for decorative purposes or for the production of coal, as well as in the manufacture of handicrafts.

This video will tell you what black birch is like:

Squat

This type of birch is a shrub whose maximum height does not exceed 2.5 meters. Most often, squat birch grows in swamps in Western Siberia, in the Far East, in central Ukraine.

The leaves of the shrub are oval with resinous warts. The buds are oval, pubescent. Color along with the appearance of leaves in May. Leaves, buds and bark are used by humans only for medicinal purposes or for lighting solid fuel stoves.

Photo of a squat birch

Iron

The second name is Schmidt birch. Its wood not only does not sink in water, but also does not burn. Grows on rocky soil in Japan, China, southern Primorye. The tree grows up to twenty meters, the crown begins after 8 meters. The color of the bark ranges from dark gray to brown.

This birch is long-lived. Lives up to 400 years. It grows very slowly for the first half century. Loves light. When its quantity is small, the trunk tilts strongly. Its use on the farm is impossible, since there are no tools that could process it.

Red

This is a tree whose height does not exceed 5 meters. The bark is yellowish-gray. Red birch or Yarmolenko grows only in Kazakhstan, and only in the Almaty region. There is very little of it there either, so it is listed in the Red Book and its cutting is prohibited.

Photo of red birch

Birch Erman (stone)

Betula ermani Cham. It grows in Sakhalin and Kamchatka, as well as in the Far East and Japan. Sometimes it is called Siberian. The bark of the tree, whose height is no more than 20 meters, is brown. This birch is frost-resistant. Grows in rocky soil. Used for kindling, in the production of coal, and also in the manufacture of handicrafts.

In the photo - Erman birch

Features of wood

Birch grows quickly, adapts easily, and recovers well. Its wood is easy to process and polishes well.

Birch is made from:

• parquet,
• skis,
• plywood,
• products for turning production,
• furniture.

Wood is not subject to rot, which is why birch bark letters were found, as well as tues, boxes, and boats. Each of these products is over 500 years old. The Slavs believed that birch saved from troubles and ensured well-being. Therefore, she was always planted next to housing. In modern farming, using birch is quite expensive, although its technical and mechanical characteristics are quite high.

Physical and mechanical characteristics of birch

Birch is not one of the leading materials in the construction industry. Its wood is used here for the production of semi-finished products. However, in furniture production it plays a large role. This purpose is due to the various physical characteristics of wood.

Density

The relative, conditional density of wood is the proportional ratio of parts of equal weight, one of which is absolutely dry, the other at the limit of hygroscopicity. Birch is a wood with an average density. At a relative humidity of 12% it is equal to 0.65 g/m3. And at a humidity of 25% it is 0.71 g/m3. It is noteworthy that the density of late wood is more than 2 times higher than that of early wood.

Wood strength

The resistance to destruction from the outside is called the density of wood. This indicator is lower, the higher the wood's moisture content. External defects of wood also affect strength. The most durable wood at the black birch.

At a humidity of 12%, the tensile strength indicators are as follows:

Type of birch	With static bending	When fibers are compressed	For radial chipping	For tangential cutting
Daurskaya	1202-105 Pa	601.44-105 Pa	125-105 Pa	152-105 Pa
Ribbed	1265.6-105 Pa	628.32-105 Pa	138.43-105 Pa	172-105 Pa
Stone	1266-105 Pa	609-105 Pa	—	—

The listed indicators are characteristic of most types of birch wood. These parameters classify the wood as a soft tree species.

But the durable varieties of birch are as follows:

• Iron;
• Fluffy;
• Crying.

Moreover, any type of birch wood has the lowest resistance to radial splitting. A similar split is used to make firewood. A maximum strength The wood of any birch can be obtained by tangential splitting. This method is used to make durable products, such as ax and chisel handles.

Catalog strength indicators, as well as most other physical parameters, are determined at natural humidity.

Hardness

The generally accepted scale for determining hardness is based on the Brinell method. According to it, most varieties of birch belong to wood species of medium hardness, but are quite wear-resistant. That is why parquet is made from birch, which, by the way, is quite popular.

So, ordinary birch belongs to durum varieties wood, its end hardness exceeds the level of 38.6 MPa. But iron birch has a hardness value that is higher than 82 MPa.

Wood weight

The weight of wood depends on the amount of tartan fabric, anatomical structure wood, the amount of water in it and strength, hardness, calorific value, possibilities for swelling, degree of shrinkage.

Specific gravity indicators

Any dry birch is 3-5% lighter than wet birch. Specific gravity However, freshly cut birch during the period of constant rains can be one third heavier.

The volumetric mass of wood is responsible for quality indicators. The average volumetric mass of birch wood at a humidity of up to 15% is 0.64 g/cm3, which classifies it as a medium-heavy wood. But the volumetric mass of freshly cut birch is 0.88 g/cm3.

Thermal conductivity

The ability to conduct heat from one surface to another in birch wood is 630 kg/m3. This indicator was determined in a laboratory method under humidity conditions of 12%. In a completely dry state, the thermal conductivity decreases to 600 kg/m3.

At the same time, the combustion temperature of birch is quite high. Thus, when burning, birch firewood reaches a temperature of 1547 °C, and this is with a flash point of 300-350 °C. Calorific value birch firewood equals 4968 calories.

Thus, according to physical indicators, birch wood does not retain heat well, is susceptible to rot and can be damaged by a bug, however, as lumber it has high qualities, and birch firewood produces quite a lot of heat.

Humidity

Birch is very sensitive to humidity. That is why only small crafts are made from it; large items can change their shape under the influence of moisture. Freshly felled downy and warty birch has a maximum moisture content of 78%, and ribbed birch has a maximum moisture content of 68%.

The hygroscopicity of birch wood is quite high. It is capable of absorbing large quantities of vapor from the air. But it almost always releases moisture only in special dryers.

A humidity of 12% for all varieties of birch is achieved only through forced drying. And for additional protection of birch wood from the harmful effects of moisture, it is worth impregnating it sunflower oil. Its viscous structure allows it to penetrate deep into the layers of wood, thereby creating additional protection. You can also immerse finished products made from dry wood in a hot oil solution for several (4-5) hours.

Chemical composition

Any wood contains C, H, O and N. The total mass of these elements is about 99%. The chemical composition of the trunk and branches is identical. Only absolutely dry wood contains about 50% carbon and only 0.3% nitrogen.

Standards according to GOST and special types of birch wood

Standard standardization determines not only the optimal values ​​of hardness, density, moisture content, as well as color and size, but also determines the number of possible defects and where this wood can be used.

• GOST 862.3-86 indicates that for, for example, skis, grade 1 birch should be used, the thickness of the workpiece does not exceed 16 centimeters and the length is 1.5 meters.
• GOST 9462-88 states that birch wood of grades 1 and 2 with a nominal minimum length of 1.3 meters should not have wormholes, sap rot and the height of branches from the bark at the level of 2 centimeters can be used for the production of plywood;
• GOST 2292 specifies standards for the safe transportation of wood, including birch;
• GOST 9014.0(one of 4) determines the standards for wood storage.

Quality standards also set the amount of use of substances that increase the performance characteristics of wood.

Stabilized

Polymerized birch wood or stabilized birch wood is impregnated with fillers and can be used in the manufacture of knife handles, ax handles, and crafts. After exposure to chemical reagents under pressure and over a certain period of time, the wood becomes stronger, more durable and resistant to moisture.

Birch wood after this treatment takes on color better when stained and can better imitate more expensive varieties. The process of stabilizing or preserving wood ensures deep penetration of the necessary substance into the fibers and capillaries.

In the photo - stabilized Karelian birch wood

Morenaia

Wood that for a long time(sometimes decades) lying in a natural body of water is considered very valuable. During its stay in water, the wood becomes saturated with valuable minerals and sometimes radically changes color.

In water, even wood such as birch becomes somewhat stronger. True, in order to be able to use it, say, for interior cladding or in the production of furniture, it is necessary to dry it in a special chamber.

Birch - valuable tree. For humans, in addition to aesthetic pleasure in its appearance, it provides valuable branches (for brooms), fruits, flowers, catkins (for medicinal purposes) and wood, the successful use of which is possible in the national economy.

Silver birch(lat. Betula pendula) is a species of plants of the genus Birch (Betula) of the Birch family (Betulaceae). Other Russian names for the species: birch warty(lat. Betula verrucosa), Weeping birch, hanging birch.

A beautiful tree up to 20 m tall, with an openwork, irregular crown. The main distinctive feature of the birch is its trunk, covered with white, smooth, peeling bark - birch bark. In mature silver birch trees, the lower part of the trunk is covered with a thick blackish crust, with deep cracks, in this it differs from most white-trunked birches. The branches are mostly drooping, for which this birch has received the popular name - weeping birch. Young shoots of silver birch are warty - hence another name - warty birch.

The leaves of silver birch are petiolate, toothed, rhombic, glabrous, up to 7 cm, immediately after blooming they are resinous and sticky. In autumn, birch leaves acquire yellow color. Birch blossoms begin before the leaves bloom; the flowers are collected in drooping earrings. The fruit of the birch is an oblong-elliptical winged nut.

The lifespan of silver birch is 100–150 years.

Birch trees have a fairly large root system that receives moisture and nutrients from upper layers soil, so the vegetation under the birches is sparse. The birch root system is highly developed, but penetrates the soil shallowly, so the trees are often subject to wind blows.

Main characteristics and useful properties:

Silver birch is a very light-loving species and tolerates city conditions well.

– Drought-resistant;

– Frost-resistant;

– Undemanding to soil conditions;

– Grows quickly;

– Birch wood is very widely used (in production, for heating, etc.);

– Brooms are knitted from birch branches for baths;

– Birch buds and leaves are used in folk and official medicine; they have a diuretic, choleretic, diaphoretic, blood purifying, bactericidal, anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effect. Birch leaves secrete phytoncides that can kill pathogens within 3 hours;

– Spring birch sap is a tasty and healthy drink;

Application in landscaping:

Due to their unpretentiousness, birch trees are used in group plantings, to create alleys (but always on a strip of lawn), small forest plantations, protective stripes, for planting in squares and parks, landscaping recreation areas, etc. A single planting of birch is possible, but it should be borne in mind that they lose foliage and branches throughout the summer, so the area around them requires periodic maintenance.

Birch trees are decorative with their openwork crown, brightly colored bark, light green foliage in spring and golden yellow foliage in autumn. Silver birch looks especially good in combination with rowan trees, willows, oaks, lindens, maples, beech, bird cherry trees, and also against the background of conifers.

Best place to land:

Silver birch needs good lighting. With a lack of light, birches become frail and depressed.

The soil:

Birch is an undemanding tree, but prefers light sandy loam.

Landing:

Birch replanting is best done in early spring. Birch trees are transplanted before the age of 5–7 years, since older specimens are not well accepted. Adult birch trees are planted in winter, with a frozen lump. Autumn replanting of birch trees is not recommended, as it has a higher percentage of seedlings dying. When planting, the distance between plants is at least 3 - 4 m. The soil mixture for planting consists of leaf soil, peat and sand (2: 1: 2). It is advisable to install sand drainage (15 cm layer). Watering is required during planting and three to four days after it.

A very important mandatory rule when planting a birch tree is that under no circumstances should the root collar of the seedling be buried. If it is even slightly below the soil level, the tree will suffer for several years and then die anyway. The fact is that in this case, the mycorrhiza on the birch roots completely dies, and without symbiont fungi, birch trees cannot exist. For the same reason, birches do not tolerate pouring soil over the roots of mature trees and increasing the groundwater level.

Care:

Birch tree care is minimal. Birch roots lie shallow, so they require watering during drought.

Feeding is possible in early spring, before the leaves appear, and at the end of spring: per bucket of water - 1 kg of mullein, 10 g of urea, 15 g of ammonium nitrate. 10-20 year old plants require 30 liters of this solution, 30 or more years old - 50 liters.

The soil is loosened to a depth of 3 cm while weeding. Mulch the tree trunk circles with peat, peat compost, and wood chips in a layer of 8–12 cm.

Birch trees are not pruned to avoid damaging the crown structure; only dry branches are cut out in the spring.

Protection from diseases and pests:

Dangerous pests of birch are the May beetle and the gypsy moth.

Tubeworm beetles damage young shoots and leaves. It is recommended to collect and burn the affected leaves, and dig up the trunk circles. Caterpillars of the nun silkworm and Bucephalus corydalis eat the leaves, leaving only the veins. The caterpillars are shaken off and the plants are treated with insecticides. May beetles and their larvae eat the roots. It is recommended to dig up the soil and select larvae

Birch trees are susceptible to many fungal diseases; tinder fungi, which destroy the wood, are especially dangerous. They should be removed.

Anti-rust is sprayed with fungicides, for example copper oxychloride (0.4%).

Growth dynamics of silver birch:

The silver birch lives up to 100–150 years, continues to grow in height up to 50–60 years, and in thickness up to 80 years. During this period, the growth rate changes: in the first 5–6 years, height growth is moderate, subsequently it increases significantly and, starting from about 10 years, reaches 75–90 cm per year. The final size is about 20 m in height.

From about 20 years old, silver birch begins to bear fruit. Birch scatters seeds very early, producing many seedlings.

Partners:

The birch crown provides dense shade, and the branched root system deprives the soil of moisture, so plants growing under the birch must be shade-tolerant and tolerate dry soil.

You can plant viburnum leaf carp and its varieties, some spirea, caragana tree, white dogwood, hawthorn, Tatarian honeysuckle and mock orange next to the birch (although this will reduce the abundance of their flowering).

When planting birch trees, one should take into account its proximity as a “whipper,” especially birch trees with thin hanging branches, from which conifers especially suffer.

You can buy seedlings with delivery in Yekaterinburg by sending us a request at e-mail [email protected] or by contacting our specialists by phone:

Surely many of us associate the image of the whole of Russia with the appearance of an ordinary white birch. Its descriptions are often popular with poets, musicians, painters and other artists, attracted by the simple beauty of Russian wood.

"The Country of Birch Calico"

As this was clearly noted by the great poet beloved by many. Birch is used as a metaphorical detail, even compared to the soul of the great people of our fatherland.

Numerous songs, poems, and paintings, passed down from generation to generation, are dedicated to the beauty and uniqueness of the beautiful birch tree.

Perhaps this is why the description of birch for children, including in the visual arts, even from school, is so important for their spiritual growth and the formation of a sense of patriotism, the expansion of their emotional responsiveness, as well as the development of love for nature. It is important that lexicon will be significantly enriched after becoming acquainted with unique picturesque images.

Love for beauty, which is the nature that surrounds us, formed in early childhood, can protect the soul from callousness, make it kinder and more sympathetic. And this is an undeniable truth.

And the main question that faces teachers and others is how to help children see and hear the world. Therefore, it is no coincidence that when raising a child they use the descriptive image of a white beauty.

Where to begin?

Birch is always good. Any season of the year makes it unique and elegant. Everyone is familiar with her green earrings, silk braids, silvery dew, white bark. All this is such a characteristic description at all times. The birch tree has retained its appearance from time immemorial.

And at the same time, each season has its own characteristics and images.

The tenderness of spring foliage, the shine and aroma of pointed leaves are charming. The pink reflections of the waking sun's rays, timidly running across the snow-white bark, enchant the eye.

Green sprinkled garlands on long thin twigs of branches falling to the ground in summer time, confirms the triumph of nature, blooming in all its glory.

The description of a birch leaf with its unique carving at any time of the year often becomes the central theme of many lyrical works.

The gold of the birch “clothing”, shining under the blue azure of the autumn sky, dresses up the whole earth with stunning shades, saturating the farewell ceremony until spring with a unique colorful decoration. It is not for nothing that autumn was the favorite time of year of our great poet, Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin: “... The charm of the eyes!... The lush decay of nature, the forests dressed in crimson and gold...”

And, of course, a fabulous winter, which turns the beautiful birch tree into a huge fountain of snow splashes and ice floes frozen on the branches and sparkling with a diamond shine in sun rays clear frosty day.

Historical reference

A characteristic and quite interesting description of birch for children can be conveyed through folk signs and peasant folklore.

The sacred tree, which our common ancestors, the Slavs, considered the birch to be, personified beauty, the radiance of light and the purity of a woman.

The white-trunked beauty was honored on a holiday specially designated for her, according to church canons - Semik, when she received special attention. Young girls decorated the birch tree with ribbons and flowers, wove wreaths on their heads, sang songs and danced around it.

In addition to the festivities dedicated to folk tree, there were also many peasant signs and sayings, identified and invented by farmers and simple observers of nature.

Many signs were associated with sowing. So, they sowed bread when the birch catkins burst, and oats - when the leaves were already blooming.

If in the spring they tried birch sap and it turned out to be tasteless, then it was believed that there would be a rich harvest of bread.

The birch tree also suggested what the summer would be like. If it blooms its leaves before the alder, then the summer will be dry. If it's the other way around, it's rainy.

It was also a great coincidence that they talked about spring. came if the top began to turn yellow first, the later - from the bottom side. And snow covered the ground late, if in early October the birch tree was still standing.

As can be seen from the examples, a lot is said about the birch tree in riddles, fairy tales, and poems.

"February Azure"

It would seem, what does birch have to do with it? But even here, it turns out, you can easily raise the level of education for children by expanding their horizons when getting acquainted with a very famous work of painting.

Many painters were often attracted to the snowy birch, a brief description of which can be found if you study reviews, the history of creativity and directly the paintings of great Russian artists.

So is Igor Emmanuilovich Grabar. He painted a picture, widely known to the public, and not only in Russia, under the picturesque name “February Azure”.

Having created his masterpiece and later telling the story of its creation, the landscape painter recalled that at that time there were wonderful, sunny February days: “Something unusual was happening in nature. It seemed that she was celebrating some unprecedented holiday of the azure sky, pearl birches, coral branches and sapphire shadows on lilac snow.”

Therefore, having looked at this work at least once, you easily remember the image of a birch tree and are quickly transported to that fresh winter mood that its author put into the picture.

Memorable images of birch trees

The description of birch for children of grade 3, as well as other age categories, can be continued according to the precisely noticed characteristic “birch” features, some of which have become almost - blond birch, sticky leaves, delicate spring greens, earrings and emerald-colored outfit, silk curls, white-trunked beauty, lacy foliage, solemn garlands... This list can be continued indefinitely, comparing the slender and fair beauty with poetic images.

Children can be given an example of other types of terms used in science, including such a characteristic phrase as “silver birch,” a description of which can be read in biology textbooks.

About the name

The word “birch”, in Latin betulus, is translated as “blessed”, “happy”. This is associated with the healing power of birch sap, which has a magical effect.

As a version, there is an assumption that the name was formed from batuere - “to flog”, “to beat”. Most likely, because the tree rods served as convenient devices for punishment.

The third assumption is based on the similarity of the name and the word bhe, meaning “white”, “light”, “pure”.

Biology about birch

The description of birch for children can be continued by citing biological characteristics.

The crown, trunk and roots are the main components of a tree, like other similar species. Distinctive features are: a clearly defined trunk, the presence of lateral branches and apical shoots. This is its basic biological description. The birch tree initially grows at a relatively slow pace, but after a few years the development becomes rapid.

Biologists estimate that the tree is about 120 tall and grows up to 40 meters. However, there are varieties of it as a shrub, including those that develop with their shoots on the ground.

The root system of birches is represented by powerful superficial and deep underground branches, thanks to which the tree is quite stable. However, the central main stem dies. Further life activity is carried out due to the lateral shoots that form a large number of roots.

The white color of the tree bark is due to the presence of betulin, which is a white resin. The outside bark of the main part of the trunk is covered with smooth birch bark, easily peeled off in strips. Below, the tree has a darkly colored trunk with large cracks giving it a rough appearance.

A description of birch for children can be given through comparison with other similar representatives of groves. Where there are many different trees - both young and old, thin-trunked, short and tall - the bright bark especially stands out. And the birch grove seems weightless and full of freshness and purity.

Benefits of wood

Birch is especially loved by scientists studying history. It is known that in ancient times the cost of parchment reached sky-high levels. And birch bark and its properties made it possible to use it as a material on which various letters were placed. It was thanks to them that information about ancient life and the peculiarities of everyday life was able to reach us.

Boxes, bodies, boats, shoes were also items that could only be obtained thanks to this tree.

Birch is also useful for humans as a simple plant. It purifies the air and gives coolness on a hot summer day. In addition, it is a valuable material from which you can make boards, furniture, and paper.

In conclusion, I would like to say that the birch was, is and will be a symbol of our great Motherland. It is good both in summer and winter. And it will please the eye for a long time if we maintain a good attitude towards nature.

Silver birch is a tree known to everyone without exception. early childhood. Folk legends and fairy tales are woven around the culture; legends and omens are associated with it. In nature, warty birch grows almost everywhere. This is a deciduous crop used on the farm in the form of bathhouse brooms, firewood, wood and birch bark. Spreading downy or warty birch often decorates forest belts along settlements. She is not a rare guest on personal plots. Despite the popularity of various exotic large trees, many owners of modern estates decorate them with trees traditional for the area. Among them, silver birch or downy birch takes an honorable leading place, since it is distinguished by its unpretentiousness to growing conditions, rapid vegetative development and excellent decorative characteristics.

See what the silver birch looks like in the photo and in the description offered on this page, study this amazing culture:

Botanical description of silver birch

Downy birch is the most popular tree in our country and, perhaps, the most beautiful. It is difficult to find another tree equal to it in beauty.

Starting the description of the downy birch, it is worth noting that this tree is a mesophanerophyte, single-stemmed deciduous tree, monoecious.

Continuing the botanical description of silver birch, it is worth saying that its height reaches 20 m in height, has a trunk with smooth white bark, dark and deeply fissured at the base. The branches are drooping, one-year-old branches are red-brown, covered with resinous warts. The leaves are triangular or rhombic-ovate, broadly wedge-shaped at the base, 3.5–7 cm long. The nut is oblong-elliptical, the wings are 2–3 times wider than the nut.

Continuing to consider the characteristics of silver birch, we will tell you that it blooms in the spring, at a time when its buds are just beginning to bloom, and the leaves are still very small. The flowering of the tree is not difficult to notice: long yellowish catkins hang down from thin branches. These are male inflorescences consisting of many staminate flowers. The earrings produce a large amount of yellow powdery pollen, which is carried far by the wind.

Birch “dusts” very profusely. If it rains during the period of pollen dispersal, light yellow spots and stains appear on the steps of the porch and on the roofs of houses located near birch trees.

Women's earrings are much smaller than men's, inconspicuous, inconspicuous, similar to small greenish mouse tails. They are no thicker than a match. These catkins contain many tiny female flowers, consisting of only one pistil. After flowering, female catkins grow greatly. They turn into small green “cylinders”, which at the end of summer turn brown and begin to crumble into separate parts, small three-lobed scales and tiny membranous fruits.

See what a downy birch looks like in the photo, which shows the trunk, branches, leaves and other important parts of the tree:

Silver birch fruit

The fruits of silver birch begin to fall from the trees in early August. Birch fruits are so small that they are barely visible to the naked eye. An individual small fruit is somewhat reminiscent in shape of a butterfly with wide-open wings: in the center there is an elongated seed, on the sides there are two oval wings, which are the thinnest films. Due to its insignificant weight and membranous wings, the birch fruit can be spread by the wind over a considerable distance.

Small birch fruits are often called seeds. But from a botanical point of view, this is incorrect: each of them is formed from the pistil of an extremely small birch flower. However, botanical details are sometimes neglected and the word “seeds” is still used. This is what foresters do, for example, when talking about birch seeds. This has a certain meaning: in ordinary life, a seed is everything that, when sown, produces a new plant. This includes both the seeds themselves and dry fruits containing only one seed. Calling everything with one word “seeds” is in many cases convenient, and it is also more understandable for people who are not very experienced in botany. Of course, where required, a strict distinction must be made between fruits and seeds.

A few words about birch bark.

Birch bark is a protective cover of a tree. It consists of many dead empty cells, tightly glued together with a special substance. These cells are arranged in the same way as well-laid bricks: there are no spaces between them. The cell membranes have undergone a suberization process. Thanks to this, birch bark, like cork, is impermeable to water and gases. But how then do living stem cells breathe? After all, they, like all living things, need oxygen. Breathing is carried out through special vents in the birch bark, the so-called lentils. They look like rather large lines that run across the trunk. Lentils consist of loose tissue, between the cells of which there are spaces - intercellular spaces. Air passes through them. The lentils close for the winter; the spaces between the cells are filled with a special substance. But in the spring they open again.

Anyone who tore off a piece of birch bark noticed that it was layered. An individual layer is slightly thicker than a sheet of paper and is tightly connected to its neighbors. In short, birch bark is somewhat reminiscent of a thin book with many pages stuck together. Each such “page” consists of many suberized cells and grows within one year. The oldest layers of birch bark are on the surface of the trunk, the youngest are in the depths.

Birch bark does not appear on the trunk of a warty birch tree immediately, but only at a certain age. Small birch trees that grow from seed, when their trunk still looks like a twig, have a brownish bark. Only after a dozen or two years does a solid white cover of birch bark form on the tree trunk.

Distribution of silver birch or warty birch

Silver birch or warty birch has a wide distribution area, covering the entire European part Russia, Western Siberia, Central Asia and the Caucasus. Drooping birch in the Northern, Middle and Southern Urals widespread and is the main forest-forming species of small-leaved forests, forming the second layer in pine-birch forests. Occasionally found in the southern regions of the Polar Urals, exclusively in river valleys outside mountain areas.

Downy birch in the Northern, Middle and Southern Urals is distributed sporadically in all regions; it prefers damp swampy forests, the edges of sphagnum bogs, floodplains, clearings and burnt areas. In the Polar Urals it is found occasionally, mainly in mountain small forests.

By studying the description of the warty birch, you can learn the interesting fact that it is called a pioneer tree. It is the first of the tree species to take over any free piece of land: abandoned arable land, exposed slopes near roads, fires, etc. This is the first settler in any areas freed from forest. Birch can be found even in places that seem completely unsuitable for plants in general: on the eaves of old stone houses, crumbling brick walls, etc.

The wide distribution of birch is explained by two reasons. Firstly, because its tiny winged fruits are easily carried by the wind and often end up very far from the mother tree. And secondly, birch is unpretentious tree species. It can grow in almost any soil, from very dry and poor sand to lowland swamps, where there is excess water and many nutrients. In this respect, it surpasses even the extremely unassuming pine. But birch is very light-loving and does not tolerate shading at all. Therefore, it is usually replaced by other trees in the forest sooner or later.

The eternal enemy of birch is spruce. This conifer tree often settles under the canopy of a birch forest and feels great here. Who hasn’t seen an old birch forest with numerous young fir trees? Sometimes there are so many of them that they form impenetrable thickets. Time passes, young fir trees grow up and displace the birch tree, which once gave them shelter under its canopy. In place of the birch forest, a spruce forest reigns. In the natural course of events, if there are no fires or human intervention, the spruce forest will never give way to the birch forest.

Old spruce trees in the forest will gradually die off, one after another, and younger ones will take their place. Birch is denied access here.

But then a lumberjack came to the spruce forest. A few hours of work - and all that was left of the spruce forest were stumps. This is where the birch takes revenge: young birch trees quickly appear in the clearing. It grows up and turns into a birch forest. But soon young fir trees settle under the canopy of birch trees, and everything repeats all over again.

So, if you see a birch forest in nature, it is almost always a derivative forest. It was formed on the site of a cut down indigenous forest, most often coniferous.

See what the warty birch looks like in the photo, which illustrates the facts of the struggle of this tree with coniferous species:

Reproduction of silver birch

Silver birch seeds, having fallen from the tree, are able to germinate immediately if conditions are favorable for this. But if, once on the ground, they find themselves in an unsuitable environment (for example, on the surface of dry soil), then germination, of course, does not occur. However, the seeds do not die, but rather go into hibernation. Any description of silver birch says that the seeds retain their ability to germinate for several years. All this time they can lie dormant somewhere in the forest floor or in the very top layer of forest soil. When suitable conditions appear, they will begin to germinate.

In addition to seeds, birch, like many other deciduous trees, can reproduce by shoots from a stump. After an adult, not too old tree is cut down, a mass of young shoots grows from the stump. Over time, they greatly increase in size and become cramped. The stronger survive, the weak die. There are fewer and fewer stems. In the end, there are usually no more than four or five of them left, and they grow into mature trees.

Birch trees grown from a stump have a characteristic trunk shape - they look like sabers. Each trunk is slightly curved at the base, and then straightens and grows almost vertically. These trunks are always collected in a bunch. That is why in birch groves we so often see not single trees, but entire “families” of two, three or more trunks. Not everyone will guess that a bunch of trunks is nothing more than twin trees, shoots from one stump. After all, by this time the mother’s stump is completely destroyed and nothing remains of it.

What benefits does birch give to humans, what is it good for?

The economic uses of this tree are wide and varied. Birch firewood produces a lot of heat and in this regard is probably second only to oak firewood. Skis, furniture, and various turning products are made from birch. The painful swellings on the trunks of burl birches are of great value. These burrs, called “Karelian birch,” are widely used for various crafts (boxes, furniture decoration, etc.). Excellent coal is obtained from birch and tar is produced. Birch brooms are also in great demand. Birch bark is a good way to light stoves and fires when paper or kerosene is not available. Our ancestors used birch bark as a material for writing. This is a kind of “northern papyrus”.

And who is unfamiliar with birch sap? In early spring, if the trunk is wounded, this transparent, slightly sweetish liquid oozes out drop by drop. But such “bleeding” is harmful to the tree. The plant is depleted - it is deprived of its reserves necessary for the formation of young shoots and foliage (after all, the juice carries nutrients for these organs). Through the wound, microorganisms enter living tissues and cause various tree diseases. The wound itself does not heal for a long time, becomes covered with pink mucus and has an extremely untidy appearance.

In case of functional kidney failure, acute inflammatory processes in them, as well as pregnancy, it is not recommended to use preparations based on birch raw materials, since the resinous substances contained in it have an irritating effect on the renal parenchyma.

Procurement, resources and rational use. Birch buds collected before they bloom in the winter-spring period (from January to April). Branches with buds are dried for 3-4 weeks in the air or in cool rooms, since even at room temperature the buds can begin to bloom. After drying, the buds are threshed. Leaves are harvested in May-June during the period of full development.

Why is the birch trunk white?

Now about coloring the birch trunk. Why is he white? What makes it white? Birch bark cells contain a special dye, betulin. If you carelessly lean against the trunk of a young birch tree in a black jacket or coat, white spots will appear on your clothes, like chalk.

But in nature, not only the birch trunk has a white color. The petals of some flowers are also colored (for example, apple trees, strawberries, bird cherry trees). What causes their white color? It turns out that it is not at all like that of birch. White petals consist of completely transparent and colorless very small cells (like snow made of ice crystals). But between the cells there are small spaces - intercellular spaces filled with air. They reflect light strongly and create a white color effect. In other words, white coloring in many plants is achieved without any special dye. A rare exception to this rule is birch.

Interesting Facts.

In ancient pagan times, the main goddess of the Slavs was Bereginya, who was revered by the people as the mother of all earthly riches and the mistress of the spirits - forest, heaven and water. The sacred tree of Beregini was the birch, which was worshiped by “curling” its branches, decorating it with ribbons and wreaths in the spring. Belief in pagan gods has sunk into oblivion, however, among the Slavic and Baltic peoples, the beautiful white-trunked birch is still a symbol of radiance, purity, and femininity. There are about 40 species of birch in the forests of Russia, but silver birch, also called warty, downy, weeping and white, has found extremely wide use as a medicinal product.

Silver birch is a very short-lived tree. And although it is believed that it can reach an age of 300 years, in our forests trees older than 150 years are rare. But in terms of prevalence, birch groves occupy third place in our country after pine and deciduous forests.

In pre-Slavic times, the name of the tree sounded like “birza” and meant light, white, and it itself was perceived as a living, powerful creature, capable of fulfilling desires and giving health. Already in herbalists of the 16th–17th centuries there were recommendations for the use of birch leaves and buds. For medicinal purposes, it is necessary to collect tender, newly blossomed leaves before they lose their stickiness and balsamic aroma. It is in such raw materials that there are many vitamins, micro- and macroelements, tannins, there are also butyl ether, saponins, essential oils, alcohols, glycosides, etc.

Look how silver birch grows - the photo shows options for planting it on a personal plot:

They are an integral part of Russian culture, in some way they can even be called one of its symbols. Knowing this, every summer resident will be pleased to decorate his plot with the help of this tree, joining the Russian flavor. However, birch, which has pronounced polymorphism, in simple words great multitude various forms and types. This article aims to introduce you to the most suitable trees of this type for landscape design.

Warty (hanging)

The warty birch is the most common of all species of this tree. It can grow to sizes of 25-30 meters and has a trunk girth reaching up to 85 cm.
The growing area of ​​silver birch is quite wide and includes the entire territory of Europe, North Africa and Asia. The largest number of them can be found in areas bounded by Kazakhstan on one side and the Ural Mountains on the other.

This variety has good frost resistance and can easily cope with arid climates, but has an increased need for sunlight.

Did you know? In the spring, more than one bucket of birch sap can be obtained from one medium-sized birch tree per day.

Young trees of this species have a brown bark color, which, when they reach ten years of age, changes to the traditional white. The lower part of mature trees becomes black over time and becomes covered with a network of deep cracks.
Every birch branch is strewn with big amount resinous growths, which in external parameters are similar to warts, in fact, this is where the name of this tree comes from. And it acquired the name “dangling” due to the property of the branches of young trees to hang down.

Paper

In appearance it is very reminiscent of common birch.

This is a deciduous tree, the average height of which is about 20 m (sometimes reaching 35 m) and a trunk whose diameter is up to 1 m. Its natural habitat is limited to North America.

Quite large stands of the tree can be found in Western Europe. On the territory of Russia it is found mainly in various parks, botanical gardens and forest stations. It got its name due to the fact that the ancient Indians used its bark as a writing material.
The crown is irregularly cylindrical in shape, the branches are quite thin and long.

In specimens whose age has not exceeded the five-year mark, the bark is brown with white lentils. Adult individuals have white bark, sometimes with a pinkish tint, completely covered with rather long brown or yellowish lentils, peeling off in horizontal plates.

Young branches bear fluff and sparsely placed resinous glands of a light brown or greenish hue. Over time, the branches acquire a dark brown, shiny color and lose their pubescence.

Cherry

This variety got its name due to the color of its bark, which has a dark brown, almost cherry hue. This tree can grow up to 20-25 m in height and has a trunk girth of up to 60 cm.
The natural habitat is limited to North America and Eastern European countries: the Baltic states, the central part of Russia, Belarus.

Did you know? These trees have an excellent ability to purify the air from various unpleasant odors and impurities. That is why they are often used to create barrier strips on highways.

The bark contains a large number of irregularities and cuts large sizes. The bark of young trees has a fairly pleasant aroma and a tart, spicy taste. Young shoots are slightly pubescent, but with age they become bare and acquire a brownish-red hue.

It is noteworthy that the buds of this tree species, as well as the bark, are red-brown in color.

Daurian (black)

Dahurian birch is extremely demanding, so the presence of this tree on the site is an indicator of the exceptional quality of the soil. Prefers loamy soils and sandy loams for its growth.
The height of this plant varies from 6 to 18 m, and the girth of the trunk can reach up to 60 cm. The natural growth area is quite wide and includes the southern part of Siberia, Mongolia, Far East Russia, some areas of China, Japan and Korea.

The tree trunk is straight, specimens growing in southern parts light, have branches that rise upward at an acute angle. Trees that grow in northern latitudes have a more spreading crown.

The bark of mature trees is brown-black or dark gray in color, dotted with a large number of longitudinal cracks, very layered and silky to the touch. Juveniles have reddish, pink or light brown branches. The branches are abundantly dotted with white lentils.

Yellow (American)

Yellow birch has some features, the main one of which is that it is the name given to two trees at once. different types of this tree, one of which is found in Asia, and the other mainly in North America. This section will focus on the second.
The height of the plant is about 18-24 m, the girth of the trunk can reach up to 1 m. wildlife found in North America, in the largest quantities in its southern parts.

Important! This type of birch, unlike all others, blooms in late spring, which will perfectly help diversify your site against the backdrop of other trees.

This species is highly shade-tolerant and prefers river banks and wetlands for its growth. It has a shiny bark of a golden or yellowish-gray hue, which lends itself very easily to peeling, and is densely covered with longitudinal white cracks.

The root is located rather superficially, widely branched. Young shoots have a gray color, when they reach one year old White lentils form on their surface.

Small-leaved

This type of tree has fairly small leaves, only 1.5-3 cm long, rhombic-ovate or obovate in shape. In addition, it is distinguished by its rather small size compared to other representatives of its family, only 4-5 m.
The girth of the trunk rarely exceeds 35-40 cm. The habitat of the species is limited to Western Siberia and the northern part of Mongolia.

The bark is yellow-gray, sometimes with a pinkish tint, dotted with a large number of longitudinal stripes of black or brown. Young branches are abundantly dotted with resinous wart-like growths and are heavily pubescent, brownish-gray in color.

Fluffy

Downy birch was previously also called white, but since this name is often applied to silver birch, it is currently proposed to move away from this name in order to avoid confusion. The height is about 30 m, and the trunk diameter reaches 80 cm.

This tree can be found throughout the western part of Russia, Eastern and Western Siberia, the Caucasus Mountains and almost the entire territory of Europe.
The bark of young representatives of the plant has a brown-brown color, which changes to white after eight years of age. Young individuals are often confused with various types alders

In mature trees, the bark has a white tint almost to the very base of the trunk, has no cracks or irregularities, with the exception of small sections near the ground. Young shoots are densely covered with fluff and smooth.

The branches are not prone to drooping. Crown in at a young age quite narrow, but becomes spreading with age.

Ribbed (Far Eastern)

This type of birch is sometimes mistakenly called yellow. This tree is found in mountain forests, where its number can reach up to 60% of the total number of plants. It can reach a height of 30 m with a trunk girth reaching up to 1 m.
Its natural habitat is the Korean Peninsula, China and the Russian Far East.

The bark has a light yellow, yellow-gray or yellow-brown tint, is shiny, and can be smooth or slightly flaky. On very old specimens, areas of severe delamination can be seen. Young shoots have short fluff.

The branches are brown, often bare, and occasionally contain small resin glands on their surface.

Woolly

The tree is most common in the eastern regions of Russia - Yakutia, Khabarovsk, Irkutsk region and Primorsky Krai. The height of the species varies from 3 to 15 m, and in the subalpine zone you can find this plant in the form