silver birch in small lawn?

Jane Doe · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 11 Aug 2009 Posts: 23

A horticulurist on radio said a silver birch would be ok for a small lawn but on the trees section here it says they should be 10 meters from any building

see http://www.gardenplansireland.com/forum/about638.html

Greengage · Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2012 11:37 am Post subject:

doctors differ and Patients die,
Do not plant a silver birch on a small lawn,
1. it is surface rooting
2. It absorbs huge amounts of water from the surrounding area.
3. Its rooots will grow under boundary walls.
4. It continually drops small branches
5. Does not respond well to pruning.
6. Lives for about 80 yrs then falls apart. I would not plant one.
Try malus, Morus nigra, Amelanchier, Sorbus, cherry, or Laburnum.

Jane Doe · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 11 Aug 2009 Posts: 23

tippben · Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2012 3:59 pm Post subject:

I'd disagree with Greengage. Birches can be managed as a pollard or coppice, they can take pruning. If you really want a birch, try Betula pendula "Youngii", the little weeping birch. Buy a top grafted plant.

Jane Doe · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 11 Aug 2009 Posts: 23

AtomicOrbital · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 18 Jul 2010 Posts: 24

A friend in Germany has a nice Betula Pendula arched around a nice arch frame a few (7) feet away from the front door. They keep it quite pruned. Looks nice. Can't say any more than that.

member11809 · Guest

Could you plant a slver birch in a big pot?

AtomicOrbital · Rank attained: Hazel Tree Joined: 18 Jul 2010 Posts: 24

I'd say yes. But you may have to move it on in a few years unless you keep it pruned quite hard. As an alternative, if you're not set on silver birch, Acer Palmatum is a much better front door tree-in-a-pot. The bark is lovely and the leaves are quite impressive.