Iron trees and shrubs: features and application

Birch tree care after planting

Due to the shallow root system, young seedlings are watered regularly, preventing the soil from drying out.
Adult specimens also need regular watering. The crop does not tolerate prolonged drought and feels comfortable in moderately moist soils. It is recommended to mulch the soil around the plantings with compost or bark. Mulch helps maintain the moisture of the substrate, enriches it with useful substances and controls the growth of weeds.

To prevent pests, it is recommended to treat the crown with special preparations several times a season.

The crop responds well to pruning. Unwanted shoots can be pruned once a year to form a crown, preferably in the fall, when all the leaves have already fallen.

International scientific name: Betula ermanii Cham., 1831

• Betula ganjuensis Koidz.
• Betula incisa (Koidz.) Koidz.
• Betula komarovii Perfil. & Kolesn.
• Betula paraermanii VNVassil.
• Betula saitoana Nakai
• Betula shikokiana Nakai
• Betula ulmifolia var. glandulosa HJPWinkl.

Birch Erman

[2] [3], or
Stone Birch
[3] (lat. Betula ermanii) is a species of trees of the Birch genus (
Betula
) of the Birch family (
Betulaceae
).

Growing conditions

Black birches are very demanding in terms of agricultural technology. The culture is thermophilic, but will easily die from the directed rays of the sun and sweltering heat. When grown in the shade, trees develop slowly, are often capricious and get sick. Landscape designers prefer to plant plants in light partial shade from neighbors or buildings (houses, outbuildings).

Mature black birch is not afraid of frost, so it will withstand extreme cold. In the first years of life, young trees are insulated for the winter with sawdust and peat, and covered with spruce branches (litter) on top. The method will help save seedlings from freezing during seasons with little snow.

Moisture-loving plant Source encycl.chita.ru

Black birch is demanding on soil quality. The culture prefers very moist, loose and nutritious soil. In heavy clay soil, the plant slowly develops roots, which leads to disease and death. A substrate with a strong alkaline reaction can destroy plantings, so trees are planted in areas with a sour index.

Plants are not afraid of standing water at the roots and can easily survive spring floods and temporary flooding. Adult and young black birch trees do not like drought. Even several hours without moisture in the soil undermine the immune system, which makes the crop unstable to insects.

Types of birch

Of the 4 dozen varieties of birch, most are suitable for the chemical industry and for making furniture. This is largely due to physical indicators, which indicate that the tree is not very dense, does not have the required hardness, and is at the same time susceptible to detrimental destruction over time. Nevertheless, there are varieties of birch that are considered very valuable and can be used in various sectors of the national economy.

A few words about common birch:

Hanging

This birch species reaches a maximum height of 30 meters when mature. It comes after her eighth birthday. Then the brown tree trunk turns white. The wood is painted yellowish-white. This is one of the heaviest and quite dense woods.

The second name is warty birch, this species received due to the fact that the tree is covered with resin warts. A young birch tree has straight branches. And the old one has sagging downwards. The leaves are shaped like a diamond. Silver birch blooms in May or June. The flowers are brown. It grows in wooded, mountainous areas, as well as on plains throughout Russia.

The tree is very light-loving, its lifespan can reach 120 years. Valued for its high calorific value. Used in the production of charcoal, skis and plywood. Wood performance deserves 5 points.

Photo of silver birch

Dwarf

This is a branched shrub very similar to a large birch. It grows in the northern regions of Russia and throughout Canada. Selects mountainous or swampy terrain. The leaves of the plant are small, dark green above, light below. Small earrings have an oval shape. The bark of an adult plant is smooth, brown, covered with a cork layer.

The shrub grows slowly, but is able to withstand critically low temperatures. In the North, dwarf birch leaves are used as food for deer. And the trunk and branches for the fire. Dwarf birch is also used in landscape design.

Photo of dwarf birch

Karelian

The neighbor of silver birch in the forests of Karelia, Belarus, Lithuania and the northwestern regions of the European part of Russia is often Karelian birch. The tree has a special burl (growth) on the trunk. It is highly prized for its interesting texture.

It is a subspecies of silver birch and grows in small groups. There are three types:

The wood pattern is the most beautiful and unique. Wood is used to create sculptural compositions, dishes, and other crafts. Karelian birch wood is one of the most valuable and it is often the symbol of the North of Russia.

Photo of Karelian birch

Daurian (Korean)

Black birch reaches a height of 25 meters. Grows on the lower slopes of mountains in Japan, Northern China, Korea, Mongolia and the Far East. It is believed that where there is this birch there is good soil for farming. The leaves are oval and dark green. Loves light and moisture. Most often used for decorative purposes or for the production of coal, as well as in the manufacture of handicrafts.

This video will tell you what black birch is like:

Squat

This type of birch is a shrub whose maximum height does not exceed 2.5 meters. Most often, squat birch grows in swamps in Western Siberia, the Far East, and central Ukraine.

The leaves of the shrub are oval with resinous warts. The buds are oval, pubescent. Color along with the appearance of leaves in May. Leaves, buds and bark are used by humans only for medicinal purposes or for lighting solid fuel stoves.

Photo of a squat birch

Iron

The second name is Schmidt birch. Its wood not only does not sink in water, but also does not burn. Grows on rocky soil in Japan, China, southern Primorye. The tree grows up to twenty meters, the crown begins after 8 meters. The color of the bark ranges from dark gray to brown.

This birch is long-lived. Lives up to 400 years. It grows very slowly for the first half century. Loves light. When its quantity is small, the trunk tilts strongly. Its use on the farm is impossible, since there are no tools that could process it.

Red

This is a tree whose height does not exceed 5 meters. The bark is yellowish-gray. Red birch or Yarmolenko grows only in Kazakhstan, and only in the Almaty region. There is very little of it there either, so it is listed in the Red Book and its cutting is prohibited.

Photo of red birch

Birch Erman (stone)

Betula ermani Cham. It grows in Sakhalin and Kamchatka, as well as in the Far East and Japan. Sometimes it is called Siberian. The bark of the tree, whose height is no more than 20 meters, is brown. This birch is frost-resistant. Grows in rocky soil. Used for kindling, in the production of coal, and also in the manufacture of handicrafts.

In the photo - Erman birch

Ideas for use in the landscape

Black birch goes well with all types of crops that prefer moist, slightly acidic soil. In the design, the openwork crown of the tree looks impressive next to the red and yellow maple. In the landscape you can create park groups with American linden, alder and willows. The plant gets along with flowering hydrangea and diervilla.

Black birch in the landscape Source ulpressa.ru

Black birch will naturally fit into any style direction. The openwork crown will be a luxurious continuation of both classics and laconic minimalism. The unusual dark bark with a noticeable texture combines effectively with glass and concrete. Plants are planted along ponds and to create coziness in secluded corners of the garden.

Curved birch trees in the landscape Source zapoved.net

Description of dwarf birch (with photo)

Dwarf birch is a species of plant in the Birch genus of the Birch family. A close relative of the common birch. It is a shrub with many branches. The height of the bush usually does not exceed one meter, and the width of its crown can reach one and a half meters. It has small and round leaves that are dark green above and light green below. Sometimes the growth is so small that only leaves can be seen on the surface of the lichen. The leaves are attached to the stems using short petioles.

As you can see in the photo, the earrings of dwarf birch are very small and have a round oval design:

During ripening, they crumble into their component parts: scales and fruits. It grows quite slowly.

The fruits are small, about 2 millimeters long, oval nuts with wings on the sides. It blooms in May, before the leaves open, with small, unisexual and unattractive flowers. Fruiting occurs starting in June.

The winter hardiness of the dwarf birch plant is very high, it is not for nothing that it grows in the northern regions of the earth’s hemispheres: North America, Northern Russia, Yakutia and Western Siberia. It is very often found in the highlands of the Alps. Her favorite places are rocky slopes and swampy areas of the Tundra.

They are used for landscaping garden plots, areas around buildings, for landscaping park facilities and creating a landscape view in landscape design. Thanks to the compact round shape of the crown, it does not require constant trimming.

The dwarf birch species is divided into two subspecies: nana and exilis.

In the nana subspecies, young shoots are pubescent, but not sticky. The leaves are longer - up to 2.5 cm, usually the length and width are approximately the same. The subspecies is widespread in the northwestern part of Asia, in the Alps at high altitudes, in Greenland, on Baffin Island.

In the subspecies exilis, young shoots are hairless or have individual scattered hairs that are sticky. The leaves are shorter - no more than 12 mm in length, often wider than long. The subspecies is widespread in the northeastern part of Asia and northern North America.

There are several varieties that are suitable for use in landscape design. They are used in landscaping gardens and summer cottages. Most of them belong to the subspecies exilis.

Reproduction method

During its flowering period, Schmidt's birch is covered with long, slightly curved earrings.
The length of one such earring is about 3-4 centimeters. By the beginning of autumn, fruits up to 2 mm in size begin to ripen. They possess seeds that facilitate reproduction. The maximum lifespan of iron birch is 350 years. During this time, it is capable of scattering a huge number of seeds. Naturally, not all of them will grow into a tree. This happens only in some specimens.

There is also an additional possibility of propagation by stump shoots. This method applies to trees whose age has not yet reached 100-120 years.

Decorative varieties and names of birch species

Silver birch (Betula pendula). The most popular and widespread type of classic birch in the landscape of the middle zone. A tall tree growing up to 30 m tall with long, thin, weeping branches. The species itself is rarely used in garden landscaping, but its low, graceful varieties have become sought-after plants in landscape design.

Varieties of this type:

"Trost's Dwarf" - a completely unusual low-growing variety with an openwork, airy crown of thin, needle-like leaves;

Birch "Yungi" (Youngii). One of the most popular low varietal forms. The height does not exceed 2-3 meters, but the growth of the tree can be controlled by pruning;

Variety "Yungi" on a standard

'Royal Frost' is a tree with showy chocolate-burgundy, glossy leaves that turn bronze in autumn. The crown is loose, pyramidal. It grows up to a maximum of 10 m. It develops well in almost all conditions and is most resistant to pests;

“Golden Cloud” is a small tree whose leaves are golden-green throughout the season, “Fastigiata” - the crown of the tree resembles the shape of a cypress or pyramidal poplar.

Paper or Canoe birch (Betula paperifera) from North America. Characterized by white bark with sparse dark stripes, sometimes shades of pink, cream or yellow are found. The crown is dense, not weeping. The bark of this tree was used by the Indians as paper. Variety "Renci" with a triangular crown and golden leaves in autumn.

Himalayan hybrid Jacquemont (Betula utilis var. Jacquemontii). It is distinguished by large leaves and smooth snow-white bark. Varieties: 'Doorenbos', 'Jermyns', 'Silver Shadow' and 'Grayswood Ghost'.

Varieties of the species Betula nigra :

"Little King" is a fast-growing dwarf form of a dense multi-stemmed tree with a wide, rounded crown;

"Summer Cascade" is a small tree with a dense crown of weeping thin branches that reach to the ground. Grows well in both wet and dry soils.

Dwarf decorative birch of the Nana group (Betula nana) . These are low bushes or trees, reaching a height of 50 cm to 1 meter. The branches are dark, covered with tiny round, glossy leaves. A magnificent hybrid on a standard with golden “Golden Treasure” foliage. Prefers peat soils.

“Magical Globe” is a new varietal on the trunk, originally from Australia, characterized by a spherical crown and dwarf growth. Feels good in the sun, prefers permeable, dry and rather poor soils.

Useful material

Birch leaves contain:

• saponins;
• essential oil;
• vitamin C;
• ascorbic acid;
• a nicotinic acid;
• carotene;
• glucosides;
• betulo-retinoic acid;
• triterpene alcohols;
• tannins;
• flavonoids;
• betulalbin resin;
• inositol

Birch buds contain: ascorbic acid, essential oil and saponins, as well as bitterness, phytoncides, grape sugar, resin, tannins.

Birch bark contains betulol (triterpene alcohol), which protects the tree from fungi and due to which the plant has a white color, saponins, glucosides (gaulterin and beta-loside), acids (lilac, protocatechinic, oxybenzoic, vanillic), bitter substance, leu- coanthocyanins, catechins, a small amount of essential oil, resinous and tannin substances.

Tar, which is obtained from birch bark using dry distillation, contains cresols, phenol, guaiacol, and dioxybenzenes.

Birch sap contains sugars - glucose and fructose, protein, malic acid, aromatic and tannin substances, vitamins B and C. In addition, birch sap is rich in mineral microelements and substances such as:

• Sodium;
• Potassium;
• Magnesium;
• Calcium;
• Manganese;
• Aluminum;
• Silicon;
• Iron;
• Copper;
• Titanium;
• Barium;
• Strontium;
• Phosphorus;
• Zirconium;
• Nickel.

Kinds

There are several types of birch trees (see photo) used in the national economy.

Hanging

At 8 years old, the tree reaches 30 m, the color of the trunk changes to white. The wood is considered one of the densest and heaviest.

The plant is also called warty birch: there is a lot of resin on the trunk. A young tree has straight branches, but in old age they droop downwards. The leaf shape is diamond-shaped. The flowers are brown. The most suitable place for the tree to live is mountainous or flat terrain. Life expectancy is up to 120 years.

The plant is used to make charcoal and plywood.

Dwarf

It resembles a branched shrub and grows in Canada and northern Russia.

Birch prefers mountainous or swampy areas. The leaves are small, their upper part is darker than the lower part. The bark is brown, the trunk is smooth, with a corky layer.

This fluffy birch grows slowly and is frost-resistant.

In the northern regions, the leaves are used as food for deer. The plant is well suited for landscape design.

Karelian

Grows in Karelia, Lithuania, and northwestern regions of Russia. It is characterized by an unusual growth on the trunk - kappa.

This is a subspecies of silver birch and includes three varieties:

• short,
• medium height,
• tall.

Because of its unique pattern, wood is used in the manufacture of sculptures and dishes. Karelian birch is a symbol of the north of Russia.

Rare species

Rarely found species:

• Daurian, or Korean, birch. The maximum height of the tree is 25 m. The leaves are oval, dark green. Growth requires a lot of light and moisture . The wood is used to make crafts and charcoal.
• Squat. Unusual fluffy birch shrub. Maximum height - 2.5 m. Grows in marshy areas of Western Siberia and the Far East. The oval leaves have resinous warts. Blooms in May. Used for the production of medicines and solid fuels.

• Iron or Schmidt birch. The wood of this plant does not burn and does not sink in water. Can be found on the rocks of China, Japan, and southern Primorye. Reaches 20 m, the crown starts from 8 m. The bark is dark gray and brown. Life expectancy sometimes exceeds 400 years. Birch loves light; if there is not enough light, the trunk bends. The tree is not used for commercial purposes.
• Red. It is distinguished by its unusual yellow-gray bark, small height, no more than 5 m. It grows in Kazakhstan. The tree is listed in the Red Book.
• Stone or Erman birch. Found in Sakhalin, Kamchatka, and Japan. Has brown bark. Height - about 20 m. The tree is frost-resistant, prefers rocky soil. Used for the production of coal, making crafts.

Planting a birch tree on the site

All types of birch are completely unpretentious. For growing, choose a sunny position or light partial shade. Soil requirements are low. The culture grows well in any type of soil, both in poor sandy and fertile substrates, but does not tolerate stagnant water. The only species that can tolerate excess water and grows well in swamps is black birch.

Birch trees can be planted in containers from spring to autumn, and bare-rooted seedlings are planted when they are dormant in November and early March.

When planting a birch tree on a site, you should take into account the size of the tree. Large specimens are planted at a distance of 4-5 meters from each other and from buildings. The distance between dwarf varieties is one and a half to two meters.

Low-growing varieties are an ideal solution for small areas, rock gardens and look great in composition with conifers, ornamental trees and shrubs (purple, barberry, willow, spruce, thuja, larch, spirea, chokeberry, etc.).

The rules for planting birch trees are simple. Dig the hole in a sunny location protected from strong winds. Mix the soil from it with part peat, two parts compost or leaf soil. If the soil is heavy, add half of coarse river sand for water permeability.

The plant is placed in a hole, the roots and root collar are covered with soil. The soil is compacted and watered well. Since the root system of the tree is superficial, all planted seedlings must be strengthened by tying them to a support.

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1 Description

Birch has a straight, even trunk. The size of the tree depends on the type and growing conditions:

• height 35–45 m;
• trunk girth 1.-1.5 m.

Birch is traditionally represented as white-trunked, but the tree bark has a rich palette of shades:

• white;
• yellowish;
• pinkish;
• reddish-brown;
• gray;
• brown;
• black.

The characteristic light color of the bark is given by the substance betulin, contained in the layer of cork tissue. The outer part - birch bark - peels off easily. In ancient times, the Slavs used it instead of paper.

Young trees have branches covered with red-brown bark. Growths are often noticeable on the branches and trunk. The leaf blades are distinguished by a triangular-elongated shape (4*7 cm) with denticles along the edge. After blooming, they are sticky to the touch and light green in color. As it grows, the shade becomes darker, and with the onset of the first cold weather, the leaves quickly turn yellow.

Flowering begins before the leaves appear on the tree (April-May). Small buds are collected in earrings. There are 2 types of inflorescences:

• male - long, green-brown in color, appear in the summer and open in the spring;
• female ones are short, dark green, appear and bloom in the spring.

Pollination occurs with the help of wind. Male inflorescences quickly fall off. In place of the female earrings, an ovary is formed, resembling in appearance a miniature green cone (pineal thyrsus). The fruits ripen in late July–early August. They are nut-shaped fruits. Inside them are small, light seeds with small wings. Gusts of wind carry them far from the tree - this is how reproduction occurs.

Depending on the living conditions and the type of plant, the roots of a birch tree can be located close to the surface or go deep. The root system functions as a powerful pump. It pumps water from underground soils, which allows the tree to grow under unfavorable conditions.

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2 Types

Botany divided all existing types of birch trees into 4 groups:

1. 1. Albae – with light bark tones.
2. 2. Costata - with an uneven trunk and rough leaf blades.
3. 3. Acuminatae - grows in the subtropics, has large leaves.
4. 4. Nanae - squat trees with small leaves.

The most common types of birch trees include:

• fluffy;
• warty;
• stone;
• dwarf;
• Karelian

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2.1 Fluffy (hairy)

The plant owes its name to its heavily pubescent annual shoots. The tree is quite large:

• height 15–25 m;
• trunk diameter 0.8 m.

The birch tree has a characteristic silhouette with upstretched branches and a wide crown. The color of the bark changes with age: first red-brown, then snow-white. The earrings do not fall off immediately after flowering and hang on the branches for a long time. A tree fungus, chaga, is often found on the trunk.

The growing zone covers the European part of Russia, Siberia, and the Caucasus. Downy birch prefers areas with excess moisture. It tolerates frost and poor lighting well.

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2.2 Droopy (warty)

Small compactions called “warts” are noticeable on young branches of the tree, hence the name of the species. The plant is characterized by a height of 25–30 m and a trunk diameter of 0.75–0.8 m. The bark acquires a white tint gradually (within 10 years). In the root zone of old plants it becomes black and cracks. The branches of the tree are drooping and hanging, so the second name of the species is drooping.

Birch is widely distributed throughout Eurasia and North Africa. It is well adapted to conditions of severe frost, lack of moisture, and soil salinity, but requires good lighting. In the forest-tundra zone, the warty birch is called the spruce nanny. This is due to the fact that fir trees grow quickly around it, which over time displace the older tree.

2.3 Ermana (stone)

The species has the longest life expectancy among the birch family (up to 400 years). The trees are medium-sized (12–15 m). Unlike other species, the trunk is curved at the bottom. Its diameter reaches 0.9 m. The bark is gray or brown in color. The crown is wide, with branches directed upward.

The distribution area of ​​Erman's birch covers the Far Eastern region (from Yakutia to the Korean Peninsula). The plant is unpretentious, resistant to severe frosts and lack of sunlight.

2.4 Dwarf (small-tall, dwarf)

In appearance, it is a low-growing creeping shrub, only 0.2–0.7 m tall. It is also called birch slate. The growing areas belong to the polar regions and mountainous areas. The trunk is covered with dark brown bark. “Warts” are noticeable on the branches. The leaf blade is tiny in size and beautifully carved in shape.

The tree feels good in cold climates and takes root in acidic soils. Birch shrub serves as food for reindeer.

2.5 Karelian birch

Botanists consider the tree growing in Karelian forests to be a geographical form of silver birch. The species has noticeable differences:

• short height from 5 to 8 m;
• the trunk is covered with nodules - burl;
• The cut pattern is similar to ornamental stones (agate, marble).

Karelian birch wood is highly valued in the furniture industry. Home furnishings, sculptures, and art products are made from it.

Literature[ | ]

• Genus 1. Betula L. - Birch // Trees and shrubs of the USSR. Wild, cultivated and promising for introduction. / Ed. volumes S. Ya. Sokolov. - M.-L.: Publishing House of the USSR Academy of Sciences, 1951. - T. II. Angiosperms. - pp. 292-294. — 612 s. — 2500 copies.
• Bykasov V. E.
  Stone birch. - M., 2012. - 160 p. — 300 copies.
• Vorobyov D.P.
  Wild trees and shrubs of the Far East. — L.: Science, Leningrad. otd., 1968. - P. 74-75. — 276 p. — 3000 copies.
• Kuzeneva O.I.
  Genus 364. Birch - Betula L. // Flora of the USSR: in 30 volumes / ch. ed. V. L. Komarov. - M.; L.: Publishing House of the USSR Academy of Sciences, 1936. - T. 5 / ed. volumes V. L. Komarov. - pp. 276-279. - 762, XXVI p. — 5175 copies.
• Usenko N.V.
  Trees, shrubs and vines of the Far East (Russian). - Khabarovsk book publishing house, 1984. - P. 71-72. — 272 p. — 20,000 copies.

What you need to know about the characteristics of wood

Many types of birch trees are characterized by rapid growth and excellent adaptation to the environment. Wood is almost always easily processed and used on the farm.

Areas of application:

• production of parquet or plywood for renovation;
• creation of skis;
• turning production;
• furniture manufacturing.

Wood does not rot for a long time. You can find items made more than 500 years ago. Previously, trees were considered a symbol of prosperity; people tried to plant birch trees next to their houses.

Birch wood is used to make furniture. Items made from it are expensive and of high quality, but their production is limited.

Physical and mechanical characteristics of wood

Characteristics:

• Density. The material must have a proportional relationship between all parts. That is, if one is dry, the other should be at the limit of hygroscopicity. All types of birch trees used to make furniture have an average density. For later wood, the density is 2 times higher.
• Strength. The most durable is black wood. It resists external damage and has low humidity. Iron, weeping, downy birches have high strength.
• Hardness. On the Brinell scale, birch trees have medium hardness, but are considered wear-resistant. The wood is suitable for making parquet . The hardest is iron birch (82 MPa).
• Weight. The specific gravity of dry wood is 3–5% less than that of wet wood. Moreover, if the birch tree was cut down during the rainy period, the weight of the wood may increase by a third.
• Thermal conductivity. The material does not retain heat well and is susceptible to cracking. Wood is highly valued as lumber, and firewood can produce great heat.
• Humidity. Almost every type of birch is characterized by increased sensitivity to humidity. To prevent deformation of crafts, small products are made from wood. With the help of forced drying it is possible to reduce humidity to 12%.

General characteristics of the famous tree

Despite the fact that birch is familiar to many people, it would not hurt to take a closer look at it.
It is a deciduous tree with smooth white bark, on the surface of which dark streaks are visible. In old trees, the root part of the trunk becomes covered with a gray crust, on which deep cracks appear. Its height can reach over 30 meters. The crown is spreading. Despite this, there is always a lot of light in the birch grove, which causes considerable delight. How many years does a birch tree live? Some species are up to 400 years old. Basically, the plant lives about 200 years. In any case, longer than a person.

The branches of a young tree are colored brown or red, which over time acquire a bluish tint. Small warts resembling miniature beads are evenly distributed on them.

The leaves are shaped like diamonds or triangles. They are usually pointed at the tips and jagged. The leaf blade is slightly leathery and sticky in spring. Color – bright green.

Birch color appears on the tree in April or May. The inflorescences are different kinds of earrings. Male varieties appear in summer and are colored, first green and then brown. Each earring is covered with a special waterproof substance to protect against frost. It is in this shell that they spend the winter.

With the arrival of spring, the male catkin enlarges and yellow stamens protrude. During the flowering period, they release huge amounts of pollen.

Female catkins of common birch appear on the sides of branches. They are much shorter than their partners, but after pollination they remain on the tree. Men's earrings fall to the ground.

In August, the birch tree already has fruits that ripen until mid-winter. They are a miniature nut with transparent wings. Under favorable conditions, they germinate immediately.

Particularly striking is the complex root system of birch, which constantly needs moisture.

It consists of 3 types of roots:

• main root;
• side elements;
• adventitious roots.

During the development of birch, the main root dies and growth slows down slightly. After this, the lateral elements of the root system begin to actively grow in different directions. The adventitious roots are located almost on the surface of the soil and have no branches.

Usually there are few other trees near the birch. The main reason is that the powerful root system pulls almost all useful substances from the soil. When growing birch in your summer cottage, you should take this feature of the tree into account.

Since the birch roots are not very deep, young seedlings may be damaged in strong winds.

At first, the seedlings grow at a slow pace, since the main root is in no hurry to give up its position. As soon as it dies, the lateral roots begin to actively develop and the birch tree takes root.

In addition, birch is unpretentious in terms of soil. It takes root wonderfully on sandy and loamy soils, black soils and even depleted lands. It is found along the coasts of rivers and even seas. Dwarf species grow on rocky soil and in the tundra, where there is permafrost.

Due to its unpretentiousness, birch takes root well in a summer cottage. It can be planted in autumn or early spring.

You should not choose large, middle-aged trees for planting. They extremely rarely take root in a new area. The optimal age of a seedling for spring planting is 3 years. In winter, you can plant a birch tree that is seven years old. Seeds are planted regardless of the time of year.

The lifespan of a birch tree depends on the species and local conditions. Basically it is more than 100 years.

Options for placing beautiful ornamental trees for the garden

• Single compositions. The best option is a spreading tree, for example spruce. It will delight your loved ones too. With its help you can add a special twist to the design of your personal plot.
• Group of plantings. In this case, vegetation of the same or different species is used. Various options are used. The most common one is when the short ones go first, and then higher and higher.
• Hedge. Ornamental deciduous trees for gardens are often used as an additional fencing system. Green fences protect from wind, noise and prying glances of strangers.

Another option for arranging a personal property is an alley - a beautifully paved path, where decorative fruit trees for the garden rise to the left and right.

A rich variety of types, sizes and shapes allows you to choose plantings for any design project. However, it is important to take into account not only personal design preferences, but also the climatic features of the area. Plantings of appropriate varieties must be adapted for growth in central Russia.

Physical and mechanical characteristics of birch

Birch is not one of the leading materials in the construction industry. Its wood is used here for the production of semi-finished products. However, in furniture production it plays a large role. This purpose is due to the various physical characteristics of wood.

Density

The relative, conditional density of wood is the proportional ratio of parts of equal weight, one of which is absolutely dry, the other at the limit of hygroscopicity. Birch is a wood with an average density. At a relative humidity of 12% it is equal to 0.65 g/m3. And at a humidity of 25% it is 0.71 g/m3. It is noteworthy that the density of late wood is more than 2 times higher than that of early wood.

Wood strength

The resistance to destruction from the outside is called the density of wood. This indicator is lower, the higher the wood's moisture content. External defects of wood also affect strength. Black birch is the strongest wood.

At a humidity of 12%, the tensile strength indicators are as follows:

The listed indicators are characteristic of most types of birch wood. These parameters classify the wood as a soft tree species.

But the durable varieties of birch are as follows:

• Iron;
• Fluffy;
• Crying.

Moreover, any type of birch wood has the lowest resistance to radial splitting. A similar split is used to make firewood. And the maximum strength of any birch wood is obtained by tangential splitting. This method is used to make durable products, such as ax and chisel handles.

Catalog strength indicators, as well as most other physical parameters, are determined at natural humidity.

Hardness

The generally accepted scale for determining the hardness of wood of different species is based on the Brinell method. According to it, most varieties of birch belong to wood species of medium hardness, but are quite wear-resistant. That is why parquet is made from birch, which, by the way, is quite popular.

So, ordinary birch is a hard wood; its end hardness exceeds 38.6 MPa. But iron birch has a hardness value that is higher than 82 MPa.

Wood weight

The weight of wood depends on the amount of cellular tissue, the anatomical structure of the tree, the amount of water in it and strength, hardness, calorific value, possibilities for swelling, and the degree of shrinkage.

Specific gravity indicators

Any dry birch is 3-5% lighter than wet birch. The specific gravity of freshly cut birch during periods of constant rain can be one third heavier.

The volumetric mass of wood is responsible for quality indicators. The average volumetric mass of birch wood at a humidity of up to 15% is 0.64 g/cm3, which classifies it as a medium-heavy wood. But the volumetric mass of freshly cut birch is 0.88 g/cm3.

Thermal conductivity

The ability to conduct heat from one surface to another in birch wood is 630 kg/m3. This indicator was determined in a laboratory method under humidity conditions of 12%. In a completely dry state, the thermal conductivity decreases to 600 kg/m3.

At the same time, the combustion temperature of birch is quite high. Thus, when burning, birch firewood reaches a temperature of 1547 °C, and this is with a flash point of 300-350 °C. The calorific value of birch firewood is 4968 calories.

Thus, according to physical indicators, birch wood does not retain heat well, is susceptible to rot and can be damaged by a bug, however, as lumber it has high qualities, and birch firewood produces quite a lot of heat.

Humidity

Birch is very sensitive to humidity. That is why only small crafts are made from it; large items can change their shape under the influence of moisture. Freshly felled downy and warty birch has a maximum moisture content of 78%, and ribbed birch has a maximum moisture content of 68%.

The hygroscopicity of birch wood is quite high. It is capable of absorbing large quantities of vapor from the air. But it almost always releases moisture only in special dryers.

A humidity of 12% for all varieties of birch is achieved only through forced drying. And for additional protection of birch wood from the harmful effects of moisture, it is worth impregnating it with sunflower oil. Its viscous structure allows it to penetrate deep into the layers of wood, thereby creating additional protection. You can also immerse finished products made from dry wood in a hot oil solution for several (4-5) hours.