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Trees

Betula kweichowensis

Kweichow birch

A medium-sized deciduous tree to a height of over 10m, with oval green leaves up to 16cm long. The young foliage has bronze tints. In autumn these turn butter yellow and orange in warm position. The bark is grey-brown, fissured, with pronounced lenticels

Synonyms

Betula insignis

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Ultimate height

8–12 metres

Time to ultimate height

20–50 years

Ultimate spread

Wider than 8 metres

Loam

Clay

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Poorly–drained

pH

Neutral, Acid, Alkaline

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

West–facing or South–facing or North–facing or East–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Betulaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy, Spreading branched
Genus: Betula can be deciduous trees or shrubs, usually colouring well in autumn and often with striking white, pink, or peeling brown bark; separate male and female catkins open before or with the leaves in spring
Name status: Correct

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in damp soil, in a sunny, sheltered position. Does not tolerate drought well

Propagation

Propagate by seed, softwood cuttings or grafting

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Wildlife gardens
Low Maintenance
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Pruning group 1; birches bleed heavily, prune only when fully dormant from late summer to before mid-winter

Pests

May be susceptible to birch borers, leaf-mining sawflies and aphids

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus, a tree rust and powdery mildews

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