BETULA utilis jacquemontii

Description:Common name: Himalayan Birch. A very popular medium sized tree noted for its stunning, peeling, papery white bark which provides all year interest but is especially dramatic in the winter. Dark green leaves with a paler underside give a canopy of dappled shade for other plants to enjoy when planted underneath. Golden yellow autumn foliage followed by yellow-brown catkins in spring

Uses: The dramatic white bark can be accentuated by a scrub with warm water in the autumn to really bring out the shine. Betula u. jacquemontii can be grown as a dramatic single specimen in a lawn, in a woodland, a feature plant in a garden border or as multi stemmed tree

Climate/Position: Tolerant of most positions in sun or light dappled shade

Height/Spread: Can reach 10 metres in height and 5 metres in spread after 25 years

Soil Requirements: Grows well on most soils, except shallow soils over chalk

Pruning: None required, but removing some of the lower branches to expose the bark

Special Requirements: None required

Additional Interest: Named after the French naturalist Victor Jacquemont, who was among the first plant explorers in Kashmir in the early 1830s