Betula pendula – Silver Birch

This is one of our native Birch trees in the UK and is the true Silver Birch, which is sometimes confused with the Himalayan Birch (Betula utilis ‘Jacquemontii’). Betula pendula is a tall graceful tree with a very light canopy.  The small leaves are a very distinctive feature, light green in colour and golden yellow during the autumn.  The bark is pure white and has dark fissures toward the bottom of the trunks which makes this species very recognisable.  The white bark will brighten up even the darkest winter’s day.  The tree grows quite tall and upright and eventually the tips of the branches droop down to the ground and give the tree the pendulous look, where the name Betula pendula comes from.