This is generally a common tree any where the ground is a bit damp but it best known as a heath species. Silver birch is at its best in spring when dressed in a covering of light green fresh leaves but even in winter it has a certain delicacy about it.
The silver birch freely self seeds and establishes itself. In some areas they have to be taken out to stop them dominating and overwhelming other forms of vegetation. They are one of our native trees and very good for wildlife in general.
The 'silver' bark is almost unique amongst trees, the downy birch is the other one, and it is the defining feature of this tree and makes identification possible from even quite a way off. On younger trees the bark is almost unblemished but as it grows larger and older so warty areas appear and that is why this is sometimes called the Warty Birch.
The silver birch grows quickly but has a fairly short life span of about thirty years. As it ages often the common birch polypore fungus takes hold and the tree dies. The fungus itself is fascinating as it starts out brown on top and white underneath but as it dries out it takes on the same colouring and appearance as its host and you would think it was all part of the natural tree itself.
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