Betula utilis ‘Jacquemontii’ – Himalayan Birch

This is one of the most popular trees in landscaping and gardening.  Betula utilis ‘Jacquemontii’ or Himalayan Birch is a beautiful tall tree that brings a lot to any garden design.  They are very undemanding, it has a visual impact which is hard to find in any other tree. 

The main attraction is the pure white bark which will brighten up any dull winter day.  Every autumn when the tree peels away to reveal the new thicker stem the bark just seems to become whiter with age.  Some people even wash them with warm soapy water to make them even whiter!   Even in the summer there will be glimpses of white bark which contrasts well with the large dark green leaves.  As it starts to peel away the bark is very pleasing to touch.  It is a great treat to pull off huge pieces to reveal the fresh new bark underneath, but be careful not to pull too much as when pulling too much they can be scarred for life!

Betula utilis ‘Jacquemontii’ is a tall tree with a strong, narrow, architectural shape, which is good to use in any garden design, formal or otherwise. The height can be kept down by creative pruning without loosing the overall shape of the tree