Birches are much loved for bonsai because of their elegant beauty, but as I and other posters can personally attest, they do not take easily to pot culture. Their short lives are also seen as a disadvantage; however, some birches will live as long as 300 years.
Lighting: | Birches like a lot of light, although some shade is advisable in the hottest areas or in midsummer. |
Temperature: | Birches are very cold hardy, but may need protection from cold winds to prevent twig die-back. |
Watering: | Birches like frequent watering, although they should not be left to stand in moisture. Reduce water in winter, but never let the soil dry completely. |
Feeding: | Wait one month after leaves open, then feed every two weeks till the end of summer. |
Repotting: | Birches younger than age 10 will need repotting every two-three years. Older trees need repotting as necessary. Repot in spring, before bud burst, using free-draininig soil mix. The bark may take up to ten years to turn white in pot culture, but this can be expedited by a few years in a growing bed. Care should be taken to protect the bark when wiring. The tree may sucker from the roots; these should be removed quickly to keep from sapping the vigor of the main trunk. |
Styling: | Trim back shoots to the first pair of leaves throughout growth. It is wise to make large pruning cuts late in the season, as birches "bleed" profusely when the sap begins to run. |
Propagation: |
propagation methods vary depending on the species.
Betula pendula grows most reliably from seed; cuttings root only
with difficulty. Cultivars of this species need special measures
to root sucessfully. Some suggestions from Brent Walston that
will work for B. pendula 'Trost's Dwarf' and 'Youngii':
>Growing them from cuttings is possible, but difficult. As with all birches >the timing is critical. The best time is get them just before end bud set in >mid summer. This will vary from region to region, in Northern California, >the ideal time seems to be early July. For those that have never noticed, >terminal buds develop throughout the growing season only to open into new >leaves until mid to late season when instead of expanding the bud hardens in >preparation for dormancy and opening the following spring. This is called >bud set. Before bud set the buds are green, but the set buds turn brownish >as they harden. Birches root best just before set, so look for intact buds >that you think are not going to open and take the semi hardwood cuttings >while the buds are still bright green. Use hormex 8 or IBA 0.8%. Keep the >cuttings cool and moist, if they root the buds will break and you will get >some new growth before the end of the season. This is nearly essential for >overwintering them.Other species, such as Betula nana, are reputed to root easily from cuttings. |
Pests etc.: | Pests and assorted obstacles: Bronze birch boarer, birch leaf miner. Proper watering and a good fertilization in early spring have been reported to help stave off miner attacks. B. pendula 'Trost's Dwarf' must be shipped only when dormant or the tree may become sick or die. This may be due to abrupt change in lighting, climate etc. and may be a consideration if the tree is to be transported any great distance. Birch may "bleed" to death if pruned out of season. It has been my experience that birch can be sickly in pot culture and shocks easily when root pruned. |
I gathered a couple small yellow birch this spring from a friends place and kept them in the garden all summer. Due to our erratic cold and windy winters, I've decided to keep them in our uninsulated front porch for the next few months. Does anyone else bring their trees indoors in the winter to avoid harsh conditions? I've also put a half dozen other hardwoods down the basement, as a friend told me that hardwoods don't need winter sun. Is this true? My dozen or so softwoods are in the porch with the birch right now. I'm in a zone 5a (I believe) here in Halifax, Nova Scotia thanks, Ron
I gathered a couple small yellow birch this spring from a friends place and kept them in the garden all summer. Due to our erratic cold and windy winters, I've decided to keep them in our uninsulated front porch for the next few months. Does anyone else bring their trees indoors in the winter to avoid harsh conditions? I've also put a half dozen other hardwoods down the basement, as a friend told me that hardwoods don't need winter sun. Is this true? My dozen or so softwoods are in the porch with the birch right now. I'm in a zone 5a (I believe) here in Halifax, Nova Scotia thanks, Ron
We live in a country property just east of Toronto. We have 2 problems with our birch trees. Any input would be helpful #1 leaf miners or borers #2 beavers are having a field day on the smaller ones Thanks
I purchased a Birch roughly 1 year ago from "The Miniture Tree Farm" near Occidental, CA.. I did not get the proper name. The common name given me was "Lace Leaf Weeping White Birch". Brent Walston's comments to Sabrina look like he may have the same species. I would like to know the correct species name for my tree. Also, should birches be pinched back when they start to bud? I am pretty confident at pinching back Acer Palmatum, (maple leaves grow oppisite) but I am unsure when or how to cut back my Birch (these leaves grow alternate) can you give me any advice. This comment may be posted. Tim N. San Francisco, CA
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Date: Wed, 1 May 1996 11:29:41 -0700
From: bilegoat@settop.Eng.Sun.COM (Bil Shannon)
I have a Purple/copper birch that is a cutting @ 4 years old. I bought it
on Mar. 2, '96 for $5us. It was in a 2" liner and I repotted it into a clay 6" pot
on the 5th of Mar. It immediately broke into leaf and I snipped the top a week later.
Right now it is a twin trunk, but as it grows I will decide what it will be. It has put out
a second set of smaller leaves ?? and the original leaves are growing also!!
>
> As usual, when responding, be as specific as possible about the
> variety of tree that you have. Include information about
Betula purpurea ?? ( of course all my exact info is at home ;-] )
>
> Watering: how much and how frequently
Water daily, til water exits pot, also in a humidity tray filled w/ lava rock
w/ water just at base of pot.
> Feeding: type of food and feeding schedule
Homemade fertilizer, every Sunday.
> Temperature: hardiness range, and if any frost/heat protection is
> necessary
Don't know, no frost at my location!
> Light:
Full sun now, as summer approaches will move to a afternoon
shaded location
> Repotting: how often, soil mix recommendations, and if any
> special precautions are necessary
Mix is 1/4" lava rock, expanded shale, 'Clean-all' (a kitty litter)
very fast draining. Probably repot every other year ??
> Styling: pruning and wiring tips etc.
Looks like an informal upright w/ twin trunks. Pruned the apex only.
> Propagation: if you've ever sucessfully propagated this species,
> be as specific as possible about your method. (seed
> germination has become a personal obsession lately...)
Cutting grown by Ed Carman of Carmans nursery in Los Gatos Cal usa.
He will only sell 1 specimen per customer as he says 90% of the cuttings die.
He had 5 Betula in 2" liners for $5us @
> And, of course, any further advice you would like to include, or
> any anecdotes about your expereince with this tree!
So far a well behaved aggressive growing tree. Ed advised me that when I
repotted this tree it would "take off" and this IS the case.
>
"This post may be incorporated into the Tree Care FAQ to be republished
for general distribution." YES.
Bil Shannon Campbell Ca.
usa Zone 08
bilegoat@settop.Eng.Sun.COM
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Date: Thu, 2 May 1996 22:22:48 +0200 (MET DST)
From: Bonsamurai aka Stefan Sandstrom
Subject: Birch
Sabrina,
I am sorry but I haven't got the time to answer to this. I'd love to,
because birches r in my heart. About their age: The large ones can become
some 300 years old in Nature, so I say age is OK...
They do become hollow though, with a mushy inside.
B. nana seems to live for more years though, but bark never turns white. I
am going to decapitate the oldest (and ugliest) nana I can find this year.
Please don't tell any of the hysterical ppl though! There r MILLIONS here!!!
And Umea is the City of the Birches!
In fall perhaps?
I agree, birches have a hard time to adopt to life in a pot. Out of the 6
grand and great ones I've dug up, 2 died. One of them came from a bog. One
just died. (Boggy trees tend to have very long, though USELESS roots. At
least useless near the trunk.)
But there r enough reasons to grow Betulas. So long as they r hardy...
:-)
You may include this in any FAQ u'd like.
I might get back to my POV's and findings of birches later...
Later as in Novembre...
--
Bonsamurai aka Stefan in the North of Sweden
=================================================================
Date: Sat, 4 May 1996 19:38:24 -0700
Sender: Internet Bonsai Club
From: Brent Walston
Subject: Re: Tree of the Week: Birch
Sabrina
Some thoughts on birches, two in particular, B. pendula 'Trost's Dwarf' and
'Youngii'.
Betula pendula 'Trost's Dwarf'
This is a small cultivar reminescent of Japanese Maple, it has finely cut
dissected leaves of about 2 inches. It grows to about 4 feet high and 6 feet
wide in 10 years, this is probably its ultimate size. It is very light
tolerant and will take full sun even here in semi-arid Northern California.
It is a magnificent rock garden plant and has tremendous bonsai potential,
although I have never seen a mature specimen trained for bonsai. Most
nursery plants are grafted on standards and useless for bonsai. Look for low
grafted or cutting grown plants. The bark turns white just like the species
but it takes much longer to do so, over 10 years.
An interesting note, it does not ship well when in foliage. Despite the fact
that it can accept more light and heat than Japanese Maple, it does not
tolerate traumatic changes as well as Acer palmatum. I have received damaged
plants that were in leaf and have received at least one complaint that a
perfectly healthy plant defoliated and failed to releaf after shipment.
Always order plants so they will arrive dormant, this is the only way we now
ship them.
Growing them from cuttings is possible, but difficult. As with all birches
the timing is critical. The best time is get them just before end bud set in
mid summer. This will vary from region to region, in Northern California,
the ideal time seems to be early July. For those that have never noticed,
terminal buds develop throughout the growing season only to open into new
leaves until mid to late season when instead of expanding the bud hardens in
preparation for dormancy and opening the following spring. This is called
bud set. Before bud set the buds are green, but the set buds turn brownish
as they harden. Birches root best just before set, so look for intact buds
that you think are not going to open and take the semi hardwood cuttings
while the buds are still bright green. Use hormex 8 or IBA 0.8%. Keep the
cuttings cool and moist, if they root the buds will break and you will get
some new growth before the end of the season. This is nearly essential for
overwintering them.
B. pendula 'Youngii'
The cutting information above is identical for this cultivar. Seedlings may
be similar but cannot be called 'Youngii'.
'Youngii' is a very serpentine weeper with small leaves and very fine
branching, the bark is very white. It is a small tree with refined growth
and an excellent bonsai subject. The plants for bonsai should be low grafted
or cutting or tissue culture grown, preferably the latter two, since even
low grafts will produce a visible crown of distinctly different tissue.
It weeps so well that it will weep even as a small bonsai without wiring.
The weak trunk is amenable to a serpentine shape giving a good
representation of a large weeping birch or weeping willow.
Brent
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