Betula pendula

Betula pendula

Silver Birch

The Silver Birch is a medium-sized deciduous tree known for its white, peeling bark. It typically reaches heights of 15 to 25 meters (49 to 82 feet) with a slender trunk usually under 40 centimeters in diameter. The tree has slender, often pendulous twigs and triangular leaves with doubly serrate margins that turn yellow and brown in autumn. It is a hardy tree, often one of the first to appear on bare or fire-swept land. Silver Birch supports a wide range of insects and allows for the growth of various plants beneath its canopy. It is commonly used in parks, gardens, and for forest products such as joinery timber, firewood, tanning, racecourse jumps, and brooms.

Details

Order:

Fagales

Family:

Betulaceae

Genus:

Betula

Chemistry:

The bark of the Silver Birch contains up to 20% betulin, a triterpene with potential medicinal properties. The essential oil of the buds includes α-copaene, germacrene D, and δ-cadinene. Other triterpene substances in the bark have been studied for their biological properties, including anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic effects.

Uses:

Various parts of the Silver Birch are used in traditional medicine. The tree is Finland's national tree and its young boughs are used in Finnish saunas. The wood is used for furniture, plywood, veneers, parquet blocks, skis, kitchen utensils, and firewood. The bark is used for roof shingles, handicrafts, and tanning. The sap can be tapped and used similarly to maple syrup. The tree also has ecological roles, supporting a variety of birds, animals, and insects.

Flowering time:

Spring

Sowing time:

Plant height:

15 to 25 meters (49 to 82 feet)

Flower color:

Creamy white

Suitable habitat:

Bare or fire-swept land, heathland, mountainsides, crags, dry acid soils, industrial areas, and exposed sites.

Info

Pannon Flora Ltd. was founded on December 13, 1999, by Gábor Janik, who retains 95% ownership. Janik holds an MSc in Horticulture from the University of Horticultural Sciences (1986) and an Advanced Professional English Certification from the College of International Trade (1990). The company specializes in bird feed production and export, primarily serving markets in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK, alongside cultivating and distributing imported/exported horticultural seeds. It maintains exclusive partnerships with JOEUN Seed (South Korea) and Takii Europe (Japan), a leader in professional seed breeding and production. Pannon Flora collaborates with certification bodies such as NÉBIH (National Food Chain Safety Office), MERT Kontroll, and SGS Hungary to ensure compliance and quality. The company works with approximately 400 Hungarian growers, ranging from small-scale producers (under 5 hectares) to mid-sized farms and large-scale agricultural enterprises. This profile emphasizes agribusiness expertise, technical partnerships, and operational scalability tailored to international client needs.

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