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Great Wood School  

Learn about your tree.

  

Silver Birch or
European White Birch
 
       
           
                     
             
   

Tree shape to look for.

    
Leaves are not downy and are wedge shaped at the bottom.
 
Catkins open in March and April. Male catkins 3cm, females 1 to2cm long...
 
 ...These ripen to fruiting catkins, and break up in late autumn and winter.
 
     
 
Silver Birch   or
Betula Pendula
  1. Found Europe, including Britain and Asia Minor.
  2. Planted in parks and gardens.
  3. Can be 12-18 metres tall, some even taller.
  4. Catkins open in late March and April.
  5. Male catkins 3cm, females 1 to2cm long.
  6. These ripen to fruiting catkins, and break up in late autumn and winter.
  7. Leaves are not downy (do not have silky hair) and have wedge shaped bases
  8. Bark is white, with thin horizontal lines and large diamond shaped cracks.
  9. Young twigs have no down. This makes them different from other birches.
 
 
 
       
 
Silver Birch
Bark
    
       
 

Birch Challenge

What was the other name for the paper birch?

How was its bark once used?
 
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