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Birch Trees

Birch trees are grown for their bark and their lightness. White or cinnamon trunks stand out all year, the small leaves throw dappled shade that lawn and underplanting can live with, and the canopy turns butter yellow in autumn. They are slender trees, usually planted in groups of three or more. This range covers Silver Birch, the pure white Himalayan and Moss White forms, and River Birch for warmer, wetter sites. Every tree is delivered Australia wide.

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How to choose a birch

Silver Birch (Betula pendula) is the classic: about 10m tall and 4m wide, with white bark marked in black and fine weeping branch tips. Moss White is a selected form with cleaner, whiter trunks, often grown with several stems. Himalayan Birch has the whitest bark of all, smooth and bright from a young age, on a narrow upright tree. Japanese White Birch is similar and a little more tolerant of heat. River Birch is the different one: salmon and cinnamon bark that peels in papery curls, on a larger tree to 12m that handles humidity, heat and wet soil. Summer Cascade is its weeping form at about 4m.

Where birch trees work

White barked birches belong in cool and temperate climates: Tasmania, Victoria, the Adelaide Hills, Canberra and the tablelands, where summers are mild and the soil stays moist. In warmer areas, including Sydney and coastal Queensland, River Birch is the one to plant. All want full sun and regular water in summer. Plant them in groves on a lawn, along a drive or beside a pond. They suit most gardens as feature trees and sit with our other deciduous trees.

Planting and spacing

For a grove, plant three or five trees 1.5m to 2.5m apart, or even three in one wide hole for a multi trunk effect. In a row, space them 3m apart. Keep birches 4m from paving and pipes because the roots are shallow and seek water. Plant in winter, mulch well and water deeply twice a week through the first summer.

Care basics

Water is the key: birches drop leaves early if they dry out in summer, so mulch thickly and soak them through hot spells. Prune only in late summer or autumn when the tree is in full leaf, because birches bleed sap if cut in late winter and spring. Remove low side shoots to show off the trunk. The silver birch care guide has more.

Common questions

How fast do birch trees grow?

Birches are quick: 50cm to 1m a year when young with good summer water.

Which birch has the whitest bark?

Himalayan Birch, followed by Moss White. Both show white bark from an early age.

Can birch trees grow in warm climates?

Silver Birch struggles in heat and humidity. River Birch is the reliable choice for warm temperate and subtropical gardens.

Are birch roots invasive?

The roots are shallow and spread in search of moisture. Plant at least 4m from pipes, paving and foundations.