the Birch

The Silver Birch or European Weeping Birch is a very common fast
growing tree that prefers marshes and moist ground.
This tree can be found up to the most northern part
of the wordld as it is very winterhardy.

The female flowers of the birch.
The flowers of the birch are wind-pollinated catkins,
produced before the leaves in early spring. These are the male
that are larger then the female catkins.

Birch wood as Firewood

Birch wood is excellent firewood, burning without
producing a lot of litter or polluting the chimney.
Its only slightly more exspensive then other firewood.
While drying Birch wood its normal that small fungi
will appear on the trunks.

Birch wood as craftwood

Birchwood is a strong and beautiful craftwwod,
light and flexible, it can be used to produce
almost everything except things made for outdoor use.

Hay fever and the Birch

The flowering of the birch start when the first leaves
appear on the Birch. The male catkins produce pollen that
causes an allergic reaction in people that are sensitiv
for birch pollen. They induce the symptoms of hay fever,
starting typical at the end of march.

The birch is a fine street tree but its
roots will cause irregularities on the pavement.

the Birch as a street tree

The birch is a fast growing street tree.
But is roots grow superficialy, inducing
irregularities in the street and pavement.

the Birch cultivars

Betula pendula ´Tristes´ is an populair wheeping
form of birch and has a straight white bark.
Betula pendula ´Dalecarlica´ and Betula pendula
´crispa´ have decorative leaves and are used
as a streettree.

hay fever or allergic rhinitis

These trees produce the most hay fever complaints,
20% of the total people who have allergic rhinitis are
sensitiv for pollen produced by trees: Common or Black Alder : flowers in march , sometimes already in
januari.
Birch : flowers end of april, and may.
These plants produce the most hay fever complaints, 90% of the people who suffers from allergic rhinitis are
senmsitiv for pollen produced by plants:
Grasses : they flower from may to augustus, but most
importantly from the end of may and in june, the
typical hayfever saeson.
Mugwort or Common Wormwood flowers in august.

Allergic rhinitis has these symptoms: nose : sneezing, itching, runny nose, stuffy nose.
throat: sore throat.
eyes: : itching, teary eyes

have look atJapanese ceder

The leaves in a pond, november.

The leaves of the birch are triangular with a broad base and pointed tip, and coarsely serrated margins.

The bark is white, often with black diamond-shaped marks .
The bark falls of in horizontal strokes.

Birch Polypore or Razorstrop Fungus (Piptoporus betulinus) is a
common bracket fungus that will appear on a birch which has
become unhealthy.
They are very common in birch woods.