Betula pendula Zöld Szakáll - Silver Birch

The Betula pendula 'Zöld Szakáll' is a miniature version of the 'Youngii' birch tree, particularly suitable for small gardens and container cultivation. With its graceful habit, this small tree is charming with its fine, trailing branches, giving it an umbrella-like appearance, which is also interesting in winter when it is leafless. Its small, bright green foliage forms a golden fountain in autumn. Underneath its branches hides a trunk covered in white bark. Fully hardy, disease-resistant, and low-maintenance, it is extremely decorative throughout the year.

Native to mainly Central Europe and temperate Asia, the Betula pendula (synonym B. verrucosa), commonly known as the Silver Birch, is a large-growing tree of the birch family. This species is widespread in most of our metropolitan territory but absent from the wider Mediterranean region. It is a light-demanding species that is extremely cold-resistant.

The 'Zöld Szakáll' Birch is grafted onto a stem, so its ultimate height will depend on the height of this stem. Generally, the tree does not exceed 2m in all directions. Its crown, composed of downward-growing branches, rises very little. Initially narrow, it widens over time. The silhouette of a mature specimen is fairly regular and very dense. The white bark on the trunk peels and, over time, becomes darker and more channelled at the base, with deep crevices. The trailing branches are reddish-brown and dotted with verrucate lenticels. The deciduous foliage appears early in spring and tends to completely conceal the trunk. It consists of small triangular leaves, 3 to 5 cm long, with toothed edges, in a light green colour. They turn a beautiful yellow colour before falling quite late, in November. The flowering, in the form of catkins, is discreet. This birch produces spreading lateral taproots with a very dense network of small surface feeding roots.

The 'Zöld Szakáll' Silver Birch is a small sculptural tree ideal for small gardens or as an ornament for a large terrace. Its weeping habit works wonders near water features. Plant it in a Japanese-style scene or in a romantic flower bed. Beautifully structured, its silhouette stands out admirably against a winter sky or near an entrance. In the garden, it requires no maintenance. To cover the base of this tree, which dries out the soil during the growing season, it is advisable to choose plants adapted to these conditions: Winter Heather 'Kramer's Rote', small grasses like Stipa tenuifolia, Black Ophiopogon. It can also be planted in front of a grove of evergreen trees with dark foliage, such as the compact yew Taxus x media 'Hicksii'. They will form a beautiful backdrop for this superb plant specimen.