betula pendula golden beauty
betula pendula golden beauty
hello. does anyone have one of these trees in their garden? I'd really like to plant one as I've sort of fallen in love with it but maybe I need someone to tell me to 'get a grip'! I'm removing a very large goat willow that we inherited 22yrs ago when we first moved in to this house. it's a lovely tree; the kids called it the humming tree because every spring it really does hum with the sound of hundreds of bees! I've got resident nesting pigeons (rats with wings) in there too so they're going to be homeless. I need to be strong or i'll just guilt myself out of doing away with it! anyway, nice tree but needs pollarding every 2 yrs and just comes back denser and denser. the whole canopy casts about 40' of shade over our garden. i'll be planting the new tree about 6' from the site of the old willow. I'd like something not too tall, columnar, with a light, open canopy. also, I've got a thing for limey/yellowy leaves! this tree sounds ideal on paper. I've read that it reaches a mature height after about 15/20 years of approx. 22'. who can tell me the 'but's' of it? the real downsides? does it grow massive etc? also, will it get much wildlife?
Posts
The native silver birch is a very good wildlife supporter (up to 300 different insect species) so I cannot see that the golden version would be any less beneficial. Mature silver birches can grow to 90+ feet but I should think this takes many many years. Their light canopies mean that many low growing plants can happily exist alongside the trees.
I'd be careful of golden leafed forms. Both 'Golden Beauty' and 'Golden Cloud' tend to scorch in full sun and exposed positions. If there's plenty of moisture available and the tree is 'protected' by taller ones round it, then it may work well. Consider cercis canadensis 'Hearts of Gold', or even fagus sylvatica 'Dawyck Gold' (this is a much taller tree, ultimately and of distinct upright habit).
H-C
I would agree with Hotum about going for a golden leaved Birch, the specimens I have seen were thinly foliaged weak looking plants. There are a number of trees with golden leaves available that have stronger constitutions.