Trees New Signify Birch Beginnings Peter Why Dowdall:

Sun, 15 Dec, 2024 - 17:52

Peter Dowdall

I remember when I first really noticed birch trees. It was when I was in college over in the UK. The countryside around where I was, in Surrey, England, is very similar to that of here but at the same time different. The ditches and hedgerows are equally diverse and full of life but I think that it is the colour that is different — there you will find more browns and yellows during the autumn than here in Ireland where we see more coppers and oranges.

The yellow colour is primarily provided by birch trees, which positively litter the roadsides over there in the same way that perhaps ash and hawthorn do here.

It’s not that I was unaware of them before that, but I hadn’t really stopped to appreciate them. The sheer number of them growing in the wild in England means I couldn’t but notice them.

There are two species of birch native to both England and Ireland, The silver birch, Betula pendula, with its white bark and weeping branches, thrives in well-drained soils though in truth, it is tough and very adaptable, I have seen it growing in nearly all conditions, near the coast and in town centres, in soils of various pH. The textbooks will tell you that it prefers a slightly acidic soil but I have seen it growing in very chalky ground with an alkaline pH. It can grow up to 15 metres tall and plays a vital role in supporting biodiversity, providing a habitat for insects, birds, and fungi.

The downy birch, Betula pubescens, is an even hardier species, often growing in wetter, boggy conditions. It is slightly less elegant perhaps, than the silver birch but equally valuable ecologically. The downy birch grows to about 20 metres and is common in and around our bogs and peatlands.

I used to walk the Hog’s Back, over in Surrey, an ancient walkway through an ancient woodland, and what an amazing place it is. You will see native birch growing along with many tree species in what is nearly pure chalk and clay on this hilly ridge, which is part of the North Downs.

My walking partner at the time, Tony, was a friend of my parents who was tasked with the role of “keeping an eye” on Sonny Boy, far from home. Thankfully, he didn’t keep too close an eye and we developed a deep friendship on those weekend walks through the forests along with Daisy the black labrador. Both Tony and Daisy are now sadly departed and are walking the Hog's Back in the heavens but every time I see some birch trees in the wild, he comes to mind.

Birches are ancient trees, evolving around 50 million years ago and both the silver and downy birches are what we refer to as pioneer trees, meaning they are among the first trees to grow in disturbed or barren ground, preparing the soil for more complex ecosystems to follow, such is the magic of the natural world.

They are intrinsically linked to Irish folklore and Celtic tradition. Known as "beith" in the Ogham alphabet, birch was considered a sacred tree, symbolizing purity, renewal, and protection.

In Celtic culture, the birch tree represented new beginnings and regeneration. Its ability to colonise barren landscapes made it a symbol of hope and resilience and during the Celtic festival of Samhain, birch branches were sometimes used to drive out the old year's spirits, making way for the new.

When looking for a tree for our own gardens, I would encourage one of the two native species, though there are others to consider such as the Himalayan birch, Betula utilis var. jacquemontii. This has a really vibrant white bark and thrives in full sun which, on a sunny day in winter can work absolutely beautifully. Try underplanting with some coloured stemmed dogwoods, such as Cornus alba Sibirica or Cornus Midwinter Fire for a really dramatic winter effect.

The shape of the leaves can vary depending on the species and variety but they all provide fantastic, buttery-yellow autumn colour before the leaves fall. However, perhaps the most notable feature is their bark. The native species both develop a white bark mixed with browns and red and are certainly more subtle than some of the showier species such as jacquemontii referred to above but they are no less beautiful for that.

Another good species for damp and boggy areas is the aptly named, River Birch Betula nigra which develops a beautiful peeling bark in shades of pink, cream, and brown.

The Chinese red birch, Betula albosinensis, has a coppery-pink bark that peels to reveal shades of orange and red. Just be careful to resist the temptation to peel the bark yourself. It’s difficult, but keep your hands in your pocket for if you peel away the bark you can damage the tree, it will peel in its own good time.

Another peeling bark form is Betula papyrifera or the paper birch. The white bark peels away in thin, papery layers in an effect that is really beautiful and once again, I have to stop myself from helping it to peel.