All about stone birch

Russian culture is invariably associated with birch, which is perceived as a symbol of femininity and beauty. An ordinary birch looks exactly like this: a white trunk, graceful thin branches. But stone birch is not at all what we imagine this tree is. In this article, we will take a closer look at this species, what it is, where it grows and what properties its wood has.

Stone birch, based on its name, is perceived as an image of stamina, strength and courage. This is an independent species of birch (Latin Betula Ermanii Cham), which was identified back in 1831 by the scientist A. Chamisso. Its role is very important in the formation of the soil surface in certain regions. It protects the soil from corrosion and washout. Stone birch is a tree of the second size, often multi-stemmed, reaches a height of 20 m with a trunk circumference of 1 m.Lives from 200 to 350 years, and sometimes more.

Young trees are distinguished by a yellow-brown bark, which tends to crack. All shoots are covered with an interesting downy layer with warty glands. The leaves are wide with a pointed apex, reaching a length of up to 9 cm, young leaves are fluffy.

Trees are male and female, they can only be distinguished by earrings. Male earrings are dangling, and female earrings are in the form of oval, small bumps. They ripen around August and crumble during the winter.

It is absolutely not demanding on soils, it grows well on rocky and scarce soils. It does not need pruning, but if necessary, it is recommended to carry out a corrective and sanitary haircut in early spring. It tolerates severe frosts. It has several varieties that differ in the shade of the bark.

In the wild, birch grows in the south of Siberia, the Far East, China, Mongolia, the Korean Peninsula and Japan, in regions with a cold and humid oceanic climate. Mostly these are coniferous or mixed forests of mountain ranges.

In Russia, it is also found in Kamchatka on the slopes of the mountains, forms independent plantations of a park nature without admixture of other tree species. In the northwestern regions of the Kamchatka Peninsula, Erman's birch creates massifs on mountain slopes, which practically approach the sea coast.

In Kamchatka, birch grows on stones, which is why it got its name, on the slopes of volcanoes. It is the basis of the Kamchatka forest. Due to the harsh climate and winds, it has its own special, exotic look. Its trunk is very branched, strangely curved, and the crown is irregular. Stone birch trees have a spreading shape if they grow in the forest at a good distance from each other. This part of the forest is light and well maintained.

Despite the fact that this type of birch is undemanding to lighting, the planting site must be chosen deliberately, relying on some details. If you want to plant several trees on your site, then calculate in advance the required area and the gap between the seedlings. The distance between them should be about 4 m. This can be explained very simply - since the plant grows over the years and adds growth, so nothing should limit it.

Try to keep the required distance from other objects in the area so that the trees are not lost. Limit planting them away from fertile species, which, in turn, take useful components and moisture from the soil, making it unsuitable for other crops.

Once you have chosen a suitable place, you can start planting. To do this, you need to dig a hole, free it from the remnants of foliage and weeds. The size of the indentation should allow the tree to fit freely, but not too deep. An excessively deep hole can cause the plant to die in a short time due to a lack of moisture. Add a little sand, black soil and humus to the landing site. Water the seedlings abundantly until they are fully rooted. The tree does not need pruning, but dry branches must be removed periodically.

Birch propagates by a twig that has taken root, or by seeds. Seeds germinate very quickly, it all depends on sunlight, humidity and air temperature. Saplings are planted only in the spring, before the start of sap flow.

Although Erman's birch has strong immunity and resistance to diseases and pests, yet it is susceptible to attack by dangerous caterpillars, silkworms and May beetles. They eat not only the foliage, but also the roots. The pipe-worm beetle is also dangerous, which causes harm to young branches. For pest control, insecticide solutions are used.

Often, due to unfavorable climatic conditions, fungal diseases can occur that destroy the wood. These are tinder fungi that form on the trunk of a tree. They need to be removed in a timely manner and the infected areas should be sprayed with fungicides.

Stone birch wood is distinguished by its unusual density and heavy weight. It sinks in water and is difficult to work with, but despite this it is valued in products because they have great strength.

Due to its decorative characteristics, stone birch is used for landscaping parks and gardens. It is widely used as a tapeworm in group plantings. The tree is unpretentious, calmly tolerates gas pollution and dust from large cities. It is a protective and water regulating plant. In addition to all this, the leaves and buds are used for medicinal purposes, and the bark is processed to produce tar. Wood is also used to make charcoal.

You can see what a stone birch looks like in the next video.