Betula pendula Roth - Accepted: Betula pendula Roth bei Zander 2008; Familie: Betulaceae (Zander 2008)
Betula pendula Roth - Accepted: Betula pendula Roth bei The Plant List (2010); Familie: Betulaceae (APG III)
Betula pendula Roth - Accepted: Betula pendula Roth bei The Plant List (2014), version 1.1; Familie: Betulaceae (APG III)
Betula verrucosa Ehrh. - Synonym: Betula pendula Roth bei Zander 2008; Familie: Betulaceae (Zander 2008)
Betula pendula Roth - Accepted: Betula pendula Roth bei The Plant List (2010); Familie: Betulaceae (APG IV)
Betula pendula Roth - Accepted: Betula pendula Roth bei Schmeil-Fitschen 2019; Familie: Betulaceae (APG IV)
Betula pendula Roth - Accepted: Betula pendula Roth bei BfN Checklist Flora DE; Familie: Betulaceae (APG IV)

Color of flower

greenish

Flowers

monoecious; male flowers in hanging catkins and female flowers in erect catkins

Flower ecology

wind-pollinated (anemophilous)

Life form

woody, tree

Leaves

triangular shape, coarsely double serrate, 3-7 cm in size

Foliage persistence

deciduous

Fruits

winged nut fruits (samaras)

Fruit ecology

wind-dispersed (anemochorous)

Soil conditions

predominantly on moist to dry, moderately nutrient- and more or less alkaline-poor, mostly more or less acidic, humus-rich soils of all kind, with preference to sandy soils

Light conditions

full sun, leaved wood

Root type

intensely shallow-rooted

Succession type

pioneer species, accessorial wood

Natural occurrence (habitat)

pollarded deciduous and coniferous woodlands, pioneer forests, acidophilous oak forests, bogs, rough pastures, heathlands, quarries, burned areas in bogs; at more or less humid climate sites; from lowland to highland

Comment to ecology

low demands on soil quality; hardy; soil stabiliser

Vegetation typ and synecology (plant community)

temperate broad-leaved deciduous forests to boreal coniferous forests; in pioneer forest communities of the Quercion robori and Luzulo-Fagenion

Constraints according soil conditions

not salt tolerant

Constraints according radiation (light)

intolerant of shade

Recommendation (regional context)

only limited suitable as urban tree

Life span

up to 150 years old

Usage

wood is used for veneer; sap is used in cosmetic industry for the production of hair tonic

Phytopathogenic organisms

can be affected by birch rust caused by the fungus Melampsoridium betulinum

Bark

smooth, silvery-white with horizontal dark grey lenticels

Beck, P. et al. (2016): Betula pendula, Betula pubescens and other birches in Europe: distribution, habitat, usage and threats. In: San-Miguel-Ayanz, J., de Rigo, D., Caudullo, G., Houston Durrant, T., Mauri, A. (Eds.). European Atlas of Forest Tree Species. Publication Office of the EU, Luxembourg.;

Bundesamt für Naturschutz (BfN) (1999-2001 and ongoing): Floraweb - Daten und Informationen zu Wildpflanzen und zur Vegetation Deutschlands. www.floraweb.de.;

Erhardt, W., Götz, E., Bödeker, N. & Seybold, S. (2008): Der große Zander. Enzyklopädie der Pflanzennamen. Band 2. Arten und Sorten. Eugen Ulmer KG, Stuttgart (Hohenheim), 18. Aufl., 2103 S.;

Ministerium für Ernährung, Landwirtschaft, Umwelt und Forsten, Baden-Württemberg (Hrsg.) (1985): Pflanzenkatalog zur Verbesserung der Bienenweide und des Artenreichtums (Kurztitel: Bienenweidekatalog);

Oberdorfer, E. (2001): Pflanzensoziologische Exkursionsflora. Für Deutschland und angrenzende Gebiete. Eugen Ulmer Verlag, Stuttgart, 8., stark überarb. u. erg. Aufl, 1056 S. 978-3-8001-3131-0.;