Betula pendula Spider Alley - Birch

The Betula pendula 'Spider Alley' is a small weeping birch with a twisted branch structure. It is perhaps most admirable in winter when it is bare, with its white trunk topped by a contorted branch structure. This deciduous small tree creates a unique landscape feature.

Native to mainly central Europe and temperate Asia, Betula pendula (synonym B. verrucosa) is also known as Silver Birch or Weeping Birch. It is a large tree belonging to the birch family. It is a light-demanding species and extremely cold-hardy.

The cultivar 'Spider Alley' is an Irish horticultural selection by Matt Lohan (Woodstock Trees & Shrubs) dating back to 2008. It reaches a final height of 5 to 6 m with a spread of 2.50 to 3 m. Its trunk and main branches are covered with a white bark that peels slightly. Over time, on older trunks or branches, the bark becomes dark and rough with cracks. The twisted branches can be upright or trailing, forming an overall irregular oval crown. The young branches are reddish-brown and dotted with verrucate lenticels. The deciduous foliage consists of triangular leaves measuring 5 to 7 cm long, with toothed edges, in a fairly dark, glossy green colour. They turn a beautiful yellow and then brown before falling. Flowering is inconspicuous in March-April, with greenish-yellow catkins about 1 cm long.

The Betula pendula 'Spider Alley' is a small tree that is quite remarkable. Its silhouette is particularly striking in winter, and it is very hardy and resistant to diseases. It will have the most impact as a solitary specimen in a small garden. It can also be planted at the back of a large perennial border in an English garden, or in the centre of a dedicated small bed. To accompany it, for example, plant Liriope muscari 'Majestic' or 'Fortin's Giant' Lily of the Valley at its base.