Downy Birch. Native to Europe and northern Asia, the downy birch is often mistaken for the common silver birch: it also has white bark and differs by being less weeping and by having smooth downy shoots. A fast growing tree reaching 25m (80 ft ), and growing to 8m (25 ft) ten years after planting. Likes damper locations than the silver birch, soils on the acid side, and tolerates part shade; extremely hardy, to -35 or -45°C. Like the silver birch, the plant has numerous uses: the wood is used for fuel, furniture, utensils, turnery, wooden nails, cooperage, flooring, handles, clothes pegs etc. Edible parts include the leaves, sap (tapped in the same way as maples), and inner bark; these parts have also been used medicinally. The branches make good besoms. The tree acts as a green manure tree by shedding nutrient-rich leaves which enrich the surrounding soil. Stratification: CS4. Number of seeds: 100.
