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Betula ermanii - Cham.

Common Name Gold Birch
Family Betulaceae
USDA hardiness 3-7
Known Hazards None known
Habitats Mountains all over Japan[58].
Range N.E. Asia - China, Japan.
Edibility Rating    (0 of 5)
Other Uses    (3 of 5)
Weed Potential No
Medicinal Rating    (1 of 5)
Care (info)
Fully Hardy Moist Soil Semi-shade Full sun
Betula ermanii Gold Birch


http://www.biopix.com/
Betula ermanii Gold Birch
http://www.biolib.de/

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of lolypop
Betula ermanii is a deciduous Tree growing to 25 m (82ft) by 5 m (16ft) at a fast rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 3 and is not frost tender. It is in flower in April, and the seeds ripen in September. The species is monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and is pollinated by Wind.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in heavy clay and nutritionally poor soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

B. incisa. B. shikokiana.

Habitats

Woodland Garden Canopy; Secondary;

Edible Uses

None known

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Antiseborrheic  Vulnerary

Vulnerary. The bark is used to bandage wounds[61].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Pioneer

The tree colonizes poor soils and cleared woodlands in the wild[11]. This makes it suitable for use as a pioneer species for re-establishing woodlands. It is a quite short-lived species, but grows fairly quickly and creates suitable conditions for more permanent trees to become established. Because its seedlings do not grow well in shady conditions, the birch is eventually out-competed by the other woodland trees.

Special Uses

Dynamic accumulator

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Succeeds in a well-drained loamy soil in a sheltered position[11, 200]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Dislikes wet soils[200]. Shade tolerant[200]. A very polymorphic species[58], it hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[50]. The young growth in spring is subject to damage by late frosts[1]. A colonizer of poor soils and cleared woodlands, it tolerates very poor soils[11]. Trees are notably susceptible to honey fungus[200].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

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The PFAF Bookshop

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Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a light position in a cold frame[78, 80, 113, 134]. Only just cover the seed and place the pot in a sunny position[78, 80, 134]. Spring sown seed should be surface sown in a sunny position in a cold frame[113, 134]. If the germination is poor, raising the temperature by covering the seed with glass can help[134]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. If you have sufficient seed, it can be sown in an outdoor seedbed, either as soon as it is ripe or in the early spring - do not cover the spring sown seed. Grow the plants on in the seedbed for 2 years before planting them out into their permanent positions in the winter[78, 80, 113, 134].

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

Native Plant Search

Search over 900 plants ideal for food forests and permaculture gardens. Filter to search native plants to your area. The plants selected are the plants in our book 'Plants For Your Food Forest: 500 Plants for Temperate Food Forests and Permaculture Gardens, as well as plants chosen for our forthcoming related books for Tropical/Hot Wet Climates and Mediterranean/Hot Dry Climates. Native Plant Search

Found In

Countries where the plant has been found are listed here if the information is available

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status :

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12

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

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Expert comment

Author

Cham.

Botanical References

1158200

Links / References

For a list of references used on this page please go here

Readers comment

Jon Rose   Mon Dec 15 17:57:28 2003

Just discovered your site, excellent.With regards entry Betula ermanii if as you correctly say species is very polymorpic then its probably worth mentioning in propagation section that unless grown from a 'contained'stand of trees then seed unlikely to come 'true and would be best propagated by grafting

[email protected]   Sat Apr 29 2006

does this tree give off a limey textured stuff have one near our parking plce car getting a clear spotty texture on it

maff   Mon Dec 22 2008

Thanks, your informative site was useful after encountering my first gold birch and thinking it was someone's festive aerosol decoration (of a silver birch, which, fittingly, is now my second favourite birch. My least is the one our headmaster wielded with aplomb. On another matter, it would be great to get photos up alongside the different tree speci. Perhaps you could get some digital donations from tree enthusiasts who post their photos on sharing sites such as flickr.com? Just a thought to add to this excellent resource... Or is my computer just not displaying your photos ?

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