BlueBell Arboretum & Nursery

Growers of rare trees & shrubs

Description

A handsome species which comes from Western China, Betula albosinensis 'Septentrionalis' has peeling bark which is a rich mahogany-red, complimenting the creamy coloured trunk. The superb bark appears early on, even on quite young plants and gives fantastic winter interest. The leaves are pale green in spring / summer, before turning clear shades of golden-yellow in a good, crisp autumn. This Betula is a little more vigorous than the others listed here and better suited to slightly larger gardens.

Features

• Common name: Chinese Red Birch
• Position: Full sun.
• Soil: Any fertile soil.
• Hardiness: Hardy.
• Rate of Growth: Vigorous.
• Habit: Eventually a large, somewhat conical, branching tree.
• Height: 25 m (82 ft)
• Spread: 15 m (50 ft)
• Supplied Size: 180 - 200 cm tall, rootballed plants

Further Information

Native to Szechuan in Western China, this is one of the most desirable medium sized trees in cultivation. There are various clones of Betula albosinensis, some with creamy white bark, some more silvery pink or even orange. They are known as Red Birches because the underside of the peeling bark is a lovely mahogany red colour.

The botanical name is particularly apt; albosinensis literally means 'white' ; septentrionalis is from septentriones, the Roman Latin for 'plough.' The last two stars of the plough constellation point at the pole star indicating north and this birch is the northernmost of the Himalayan and Chinese white or creamy barked birches!