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On a note
Hanging and fluffy birches are volatile trees that have a detrimental effect on microbes. Research scientists have shown that the air in birch forests, especially after rain, is cleaner than in the operating room.The white-barreled beauty has long become a symbol of Russia. But summer residents do not often use it as an ornamental plant. Is it fair to say that it is better to get rid of this tree on the site?
Pros and cons
Useful properties of birch can not be counted. But why is she good in the garden? First of all, its festive appearance pleases - a white trunk, an openwork crown. It is known that light, and even more so white, color visually expands the space. For this reason, in small areas, it is birch that may be especially appropriate. Highly raised crowns give a light sliding shadow that does not interfere with the growth and development of other plants. In addition, birches have long been considered a source of valuable medicinal raw materials. And bioenergetics assure that these trees energize a person, help relieve stress, so it is very useful to stand or sit under them. In a word, if there are large birch trees on the site and they are healthy, then this can be considered good luck.
The only inconvenience from the presence of large birches on the site is the difficulty in growing a good lawn under their crowns. These trees dry out the soil a lot, especially along the roots. Under a birch, lawn grass is much rarer, and sometimes lighter, with a yellowish tinge, since it lacks neither moisture nor nutrition. To get an even coverage, it has to be additionally fertilized and watered.
But instead of a lawn under these trees, various plants can be successfully planted. For example, small-fruited remontant mustachioed strawberries. Beautiful, useful and especially will delight children. You can create compositions from ornamental plants. For spring flowering use small bulbs. On sandy soils, plant May lily of the valley, Veronica, pharmacy initial letter, forest geranium, round-leaved wintergreen, and sochevnik. On clayey - ivy-like budra, oak and forest anemones, chickweed, greenfinch, liverwort, amazing violet, Haller's corydalis, shield fern and fragrant woodruff. And with proper care, you can grow other low plants. Attention
Photo: From the personal archive / Olga Chemarina
"Two from the casket, the same from the face"
Even if there is not a single birch in the summer cottage, it will still be nearby - in our area this tree is found at every step. The most widespread among us are two of its species, the trunks of which are covered with white birch, - drooping birch and b. fluffy. They are very similar to each other and are more often perceived as one breed - a tree loved by the people, sung in poems and songs.
Numerous small birch seeds, thanks to their wings, are easily carried by the wind, capturing new spaces. Their germination is good, and they can germinate even in cracks in brick walls and on roofs.
On the left is a drooping birch, on the right is a fluffy one. Photo: From the personal archive
However, the "sisters" can be quite distinguished from each other. Birch drooping grows up to 30 meters. Its highly raised crown has a weeping shape due to the fact that hanging thin branches of various lengths depart from large skeletal branches. Her young shoots are rough to the touch, because they are covered with glands, which is why this birch was previously called warty. In the lower part of the trunk, instead of birch bark, there is a dark rough bark, and the cut on the stumps has the shape of a regular circle. Downy birch is shorter in growth. Its branches stick out in all directions, forming an ovoid crown. Young shoots are covered with delicate hairs and feel pleasantly velvety to the touch. The birch bark reaches the very ground, and the cuts at the stumps have one or more notches due to grooved dents on the trunk.
In relation to environmental conditions, they also have differences. Downy birch is more shade-tolerant. It easily tolerates high groundwater levels and grows in swamps. Silver birch prefers drier places. However, both species can grow together side by side.
Birch is a tree with which native open spaces are associated, one of the symbols of Russia, a very common tree in the middle zone of our country. Most often we can meet common birch(hanging, or warty - Betula pendula syn. Betula verrucosa).
But gardeners are often wary of birch, not in a hurry to get it on their site. The birch has a branched superficial root system, the roots take a lot of moisture and nutrients from the soil, which negatively affects the plants around it. But even with this problem, correct, well-established watering and fertilizing can easily cope. Common birch is also quite tall, so you rarely see it in small areas.However, for small areas, you can choose undersized species. For mixborders, rock gardens, rocky gardens, there are mountain shrub varieties or varietal dwarf birches. Perhaps you should experiment with the unusual shapes of your favorite tree.
In addition, do not underestimate the birch and consider it a purely decorative tree, because it is very useful. All its parts are healing, you can harvest birch buds, young leaves, birch catkins, extract medicinal birch tar from birch bark and drink the most valuable birch sap in spring. Birch bath brooms have already become classics. In addition, the bright yellow autumn foliage and decorative bark of white, yellow, pink, black flowers are so beautiful!
The birch tree belongs to the family birch kind Birch. In nature, there are about 120 species, many of which are adapted to our latitudes. Shrub and dwarf forms live less than tall ones.
Genus Birch subdivided into 4 groups.
- Alba Group- this group included trees with snow-white bark or similar in a number of ways. Here is located common birch and its varieties, the dimensions of which do not exceed 15 m - Karelian birch with an unusual sinuous bark - flat-leaved birch- downy birch(has a rounded crown and snow-white bark) - paper birch- a resident of the highlands of North America, it has taken root well in our country, it has a pyramidal crown and exfoliating pinkish bark.
- Nanae group- this includes dwarf birch species with small foliage and small growth ( dwarf birch, spreading birch, skinny birch, round birch)
- Costata Group- this section is the most decorative for the gardener, it combines views of several cardinal points. Feature in dense wood of various colors (yellowish, black, cherry, white). The bottom of the trunk is ribbed, on the front of the leaf there are interesting “depressed” veins ( ribbed birch, Dahurian birch, iron birch, Erman's birch, black birch, cherry birch, Japanese cherry birch, Medvedev's birch).
- Acuminatae group- includes tall large subtropical species with large foliage ( Maksimovich's birch, Jacquemont's birch, useful birch, brilliant birch).
Landing
I have ordinary birch trees dug out in the forest. But in the nursery you can see and purchase different varieties, based on your preferences and the possibilities of the site. drooping birch, and all its known varieties are decorative due to the unusual color of the bark and foliage.Video: Dacha answer 05/01/2016 The image of a pavlovo-posad shawl in a "gentle" living room with a mixed design
In spring, many types of birches “dress up” in “earrings” and sticky lettuce leaves, in summer their dense foliage pleases with rich greenery, and in autumn the snow-white or pinkish brown bark is bordered by neat golden leaves.
When purchasing tall trees, keep in mind that their resistance to wind is lower than that of medium-sized and dwarf forms. As a rule, tall representatives are prone to spontaneous self-seeding. But they live longer than shrubby and undersized birch species.
Video: Successful project
It is believed that birch should be planted in autumn and the tree should be young (“teenager” or “child”). Large adult trees take root extremely poorly during transplantation. In addition, there is a risk of damage to the roots.
But you can plant in early spring, a prerequisite in this case will be a good clod of earth on the roots and a relatively small age of the seedling (about 3 years). A birch at the age of about 7 years can be planted in winter with a frozen clod of earth. Seeds can be sown both in spring and autumn.
Birch does not need special soil fertilizer, but it will not be offended if you add leafy soil to the planting pit. Does not like close occurrence of groundwater.
It is best to plant birch on the composition of the soil on which this species grows in nature, but also not critical (except for species growing in swamps). For example, common birch, white Chinese birch, Dalecarli birch, rare in culture Daurian birch, Jacquemont birch are growing on any soil.
Bereza Maksimovich with about. Kunashir loves light soils, dwarf birch - peat soils and loams. The soil reaction can be from neutral to highly acidic, even alkaline for a birch species. Maksimovich.
Agricultural technology is the same as that of many fruit trees. The pit should contain the roots and, when planting, fall asleep above the root collar; when deepened, the mycorrhiza fungus dies on the roots, and with it the birch will dry out. Take the distance between plants at least 4 m for common birch.
When planting, water the roots. After the soil in the trunk circle can be mulched (dry earth, humus, peat), this will help retain moisture. Birch is undemanding to moisture, but for better survival, it is better to water young trees at first.
reproduction
seeds:- Spring. At the same time, the period of seed stratification should be about 2 months from 0 +5 °C.
- Autumn without stratification. During storage, germination is markedly reduced.
Vegetatively
Cuttings almost do not take root, somewhere around 10%. With the exception of some species ( Daurian birch).
Care
- Watering. Water while the young tree is taking root, and in the future the birch will not even require this. The root system of birch is superficial, so anything else from ornamental plants does not grow well under it.
But this year I desperately decided to plant elegant stonecrop (“hare grass”), daisies, violas on the place “captured” by birch roots, although many plants failed in previous years. Even the wild rose could not cope with the lack of water and nutrients that are absorbed by the birch roots.
After planting, young trees are shaded for the first time, this can be done with plant branches, burlap, covering material, even tall weeds and nettles. In the evening, the shelter is removed, if it is grass, it dries up.
My birches are completely different in appearance and the number of skeletal branches. Last year, after the end of the sap flow, we cut down and covered with garden pitch many large branches on our highest birch. They were dangerous for equipment and gazebos in strong winds. In autumn, it is recommended to cut dry branches.
Procurement and collection of raw materials
It is no secret that birch is a storehouse of useful substances, properly harvested raw materials contribute to a positive result in the treatment of birch.The preparation is subject to:
- kidneys- early spring (January to March). The branches are tied into bundles and dried, after which the buds are threshed and cleaned of debris.
- young leaves- early spring (May). The sticky leaves are collected and dried in a warm, well-ventilated area with diffused sunlight. Poor drying affects the quality of raw materials. Bath brooms are harvested closer to July, when the leaves bloom and grow a little.
- birch bark- with a sharp object, clean off the upper layer of the bark, after which it is well dried.
- Birch juice- collected in early spring, until the leaves bloom. The incisions are made with a depth of about 2 cm. We make holes with a small drill. After that, we insert the “road” cut out of the bottle. It is somewhat reminiscent of a tube without a top, through which the juice flows into the dishes. When the collection is over, we fill the hole with a wooden plug and cover it with garden pitch. We store the juice in a glass container in the refrigerator. You can also harvest juice from a stump, only with less harm to the plant.
birch species
- Birch dwarf (betula nana)- comes from the forest area of the European part of Russia, Western Europe and Western Siberia. In nature, it grows on poor soils of swamps and peat bogs. Birch is presented in the form of a deciduous shrub up to 120 cm high. It grows slowly. Seeds are stored for 2 months, then for reproduction they undergo stratification for about 3 months at a temperature of +1 + 10 ° C. Germinated at a temperature of about +25 ° C. In the middle lane blooms in May.
- Birch Maksimovich - differs in the largest leaves among birch species, the origin of the tree is Japan, about. Kunashir. The wood is very heavy, used in construction, exported under the name "red birch". Bark color: brown-cherry, white-orange, gray. The birch bark peels off well. Branches are dark cherry.
- Birch drooping (ordinary, warty)- a tall tree with a spreading weeping crown and a straight trunk. It is used in group plantings, tapeworms, alleys, groves. The bark is white, exfoliating. The bark of an adult tree thickens at the bottom of the trunk, with black grooves and cracks. Wood is widely used in various fields. Plantings of common birch strengthen the soil of ravines and estuaries. Refers to medicinal plants. Buds, birch sap, leaves and pollen are used.
- Chinese white birch (Betula albosinensis)- This species comes from Western China. Under natural conditions, it reaches 30 m, in mid-latitudes - about 8 m. It is used in groups, tapeworm, ordinary plantings. The bark of white birch is from white to brown-orange or golden-copper in color, peels off and twists into “curls”. On the bark of young plants, you can often see a bluish bloom.
- Dahurian birch- most often in nature grows in mountainous areas. One of the few species that can be propagated by cuttings. When processing a green cutting with root, the survival rate is 99%. It can also be propagated by layering from young shoots. But it tolerates pruning extremely negatively. Bark color: black, dark brown with white speckles, cracking along. The branches are pinkish-brown in color, the crown is falling. Wood heavier than common birch will not grow in dense soils. The places where this species grows are rich for agriculture.
- Joungii (Junga)- the fragile beauty has an asymmetrical crown in the form of an umbrella. Reaches 4 m in height.
- Trost's Dwarf- a slowly growing dwarf tree, reaching a height of about 1.5 m. It is distinguished by an openwork crown and gray-green foliage.
- Purpurea- the name of this variety speaks for itself. He fell in love with his purple foliage. In autumn, the shade of the leaves from brown with a bronze overflow to red or bright red. Height up to 15 m, compact crown.
- Gracilis- this variety combines a white trunk with delicate bark and a weeping crown. Such an unusual appearance will appeal to both connoisseurs of birch and admirers of the weeping willow and its falling branches.
Tell us, what kind of birches do you like and grow on your plots?
The birch family includes more than 100 species. They vary in size and external weeping is one of the most beautiful breeds in the design of home gardens, parks and squares.
It has a number of features for care and disembarkation. You should be aware of them before adding a tree to the general landscape.
general characteristics
Weeping birch is a deciduous plant, and is found both as a tree and as a shrub. It has a transparent crown and a predominantly light trunk. There is also a dark color.
The tree is hardy, does not require special soil and is quite frost-resistant.
Weeping birch is characterized by good survival in almost any conditions. Its growth is quite fast.
Reproduction of the species occurs by sowing the seeds that are contained in its earrings. They change color. Once the seeds are ready to be sown, the catkins will turn brown.
The birch tree carries out the process of recreating with the help of shoot release. In this case, a multi-stem system is sometimes formed.
This species is one of the best park plants. It gives the landscape sophistication and light. Weeping birches, shown in the photo, will add grace to any site, even in combination with other tree species.
What does a weeping birch look like?
The most common variety of weeping birch reaches 25-30 m in height. The trunk is light. The leaves of the tree are oval. The bark has a clear, beautiful pattern that can be seen even from afar. 
Weeping birch (photo) has flowing shoots that look beautiful and graceful. With age, they gain strength and power, and their number increases.
In the process of planting and care, it should be noted that this species is shade-tolerant and loves moisture.
The popularity of the tree brought the beauty of its appearance. Birch looks especially chic in spring, when flowering occurs, and greenery has a bright light shade. The decorative qualities of the plant were able to appreciate many gardeners and gardeners.
Weeping warty birch
Such a subspecies as a warty weeping birch is quite common.
It reaches 25 m in height and has smooth white bark. Young thin branches of the plant are characterized by a red-brown color. They are naked and covered with small growths, which give these birch resinous glands and are a feature of this subspecies.
With age, the warty weeping birch acquires a black-gray color at the base, and the trunk itself cracks in this area.
This variety looks very aesthetically pleasing on almost any type of landscape.
Birch has multi-colored inflorescences that appear along with the blooming of leaves in spring.
This species is in demand in park, alley areas, especially in lawn places. The overall composition looks harmonious.
dwarf weeping birch
When landscaping suburban area or a country house, large varieties of wood are not suitable for everyone. There are special subspecies of weeping birch, which are called dwarf. 
These include the variety Young (Youngii). Its distinguishing feature is slow growth. The thin branches descending to the ground, which this weeping birch is endowed with, look aesthetically pleasing. Its dwarf form reaches only 6 m in height.
Such a small size of the plant does not at all reduce the decorative appeal of birch compared to its usual variety.
Ideally dwarf subspecies are suitable for small areas. Young will look good in combination with other deciduous and coniferous trees. However, next to fruit species, birch will restrain their growth.
Birch propagation in the wild
Weeping birch is propagated by seed. However, it is possible to restore the tree by growth. This applies to young specimens.
In the wild, seed reproduction is practically not observed, since the moss cover prevents this. 
Weeping birch (photo) is restored in forest areas only by growth.
In case of fires, young trees recover from a stump in a year. This ability is observed in birch several times.
Most specimens of this breed, especially in mixed forests, are of coppice origin. However, under more favorable conditions, birch still reproduces by seed.
The sexes develop at the ends of the branches. They may winter. In the spring, after waking up, pollen appears in the flowers.
The female flowers (earrings) are shorter than the male ones and are green in color. They emerge from buds that produce shortened shoots.
Fruits appear at the birch at 10-12 years of age. This is a small lentil-shaped nut that has two membranous wings. The fruits ripen from July to September.
The weeping birch bears fruit profusely every year. They open alternately, which contributes to the ingress of part of the seeds on the soil in the fall. The second part in winter falls on the snow. These seeds are on the ground in spring.
Artificial propagation of birch
To grow a weeping birch, you need to collect seeds. This occurs at the time of browning earrings in late autumn. It is allowed to sow in a cold greenhouse in the spring. 
Seeds collected in autumn are stored in a glass jar until the required season. In the process of saving material for seedlings, its seedling capacity decreases from 90% to 30% by spring.
When planting, the seeds are sprinkled with earth and rolled. Straw or thin branches are laid out at the sowing site. Through this layer, watering is carried out until the first shoots appear.
As soon as the first shoots begin to break through the protective layer, the straw or branches are removed. This is done very carefully so as not to damage the plant. Young shoots shade with a shield.
When wondering how to grow a weeping birch, it is also necessary to study information on caring for new shoots. This is quite simple, but it still requires some attention.
Care and transplantation of birch
When the seedlings grow up, they are transplanted to the place allotted to them. This is best done when the tree has not crossed the age mark of 7 years, otherwise it will take root worse.
Transplantation is done in early spring. In the autumn period, the probability of death of an individual is high. If the tree has reached a large size, planting is carried out in winter with a frozen earthen clod on the root system.
The weeping variety of birches does not need to be planted. Therefore, it is planted in sandy, podzolic, chernozem soil, solonetzes and loams.
The best option would be a moist and loose humus soil of a slightly acidic type.
The root system should not be bare. A good earthen clod or container is ideal for transplanting a species such as weeping birch. Planting and care will require a lot of water.
The planting process will be more successful with the use of fertilizers. A mixture of earth with humus and sand is poured into the planting pit. After work, watering is required for 3-4 days. An adult tree will require about 20 buckets of water per day in summer. Therefore, you should choose a fairly humid place for the life of a birch.
birch grafting
The most beautiful decorative specimens of trees are obtained by grafting cuttings of another species. The weeping birch is no exception. 
Its cuttings can be grafted onto an ordinary tree, and the result will be an aesthetic specimen. They are often found in parks and squares.
There are several tips on how to graft a weeping birch.
The height and shape of the crown of the future tree depends on the place of grafting. Usually grafted plants do not reach the same height as ordinary birches. Therefore, they are often used to decorate small areas.
Decorative small birch species, such as Jungi, are obtained by grafting a certain type of branches onto an ordinary tree, which create such a “weeping” effect.
This will help create a unique image of the original birch forms on the site.
How to graft a weeping willow on a birch
When growing on the site common birch, from it it will turn out to make a decorative weeping shape on its own.
The tree itself will take up less space, and its visual effect will exceed all expectations.
Grafting technology involves a combination of weeping willow cuttings with birch branches or bark. Moreover, it will be possible to create a variety of crown shapes.
There is a certain technique on how to plant a weeping willow on a birch correctly. The work is done during the movement of the juice inside the tree. Willow cuttings should be in a state of hibernation.
The height of the trunk is determined by the place of vaccination. The escape is cut off. One, and sometimes several willow cuttings are applied to the tree. They will take root better if the thickness of the joint and shoots match.
Such manipulations can also be done on birch bark.
The joint is tied with a special material. In the event of frost, it must be insulated with a layer of fabric that does not have weaving.
The branch takes root by mid-summer. All this time it is necessary to monitor the condition of the birch, to provide it with proper watering. The tree will turn out very beautiful and original.
Having become acquainted with the varieties and features of such an ornamental tree as weeping birch, everyone can choose for themselves the appropriate version of the plant for decorating a site or a park. Having mastered the technique of planting, care and grafting, it will be quite easy to create a unique and original image of the landscape.
