Grid reference | ST 18231 78612 |
Common name | Silver birch |
Origin | Europe & N. Asia |
Deciduous | Yes |
Map section | M |
Height | 20M November 2021 |
Girth | 167cm November 2021 |
Reference | 779 |
This tree is immediately south and very close to the chapels.
General tree description
Betula pendula is a medium-sized tree up to 30 metres tall with slender, weeping twigs. Its bark is silvery white, but develops dark, scaly patches, eventually becoming black and rugged at the base. The leaves are small (3 to 7cm long) and light green, triangular with double-toothed edges. In autumn they turn a rich yellow colour. The flowers are catkins, both male and female found on the same tree from April to May. Male catkins are yellow-brown, up to 3cm long, and hang in groups of two to four at the tips of shoots. Female catkins are bright green, shorter and erect. They become dark crimson after pollination, breaking up to release masses of tiny seeds in autumn.