Silver birch
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Description
A slender deciduous tree, Betula pendula, native to Europe, the Balkans and Turkey. The silver birch produces a light, pinkish-yellow wood that is strong and naturally waterproof. It has been used for boxes, bowls, utensils, handles, musical instruments, weapons, boats, wagons, interior trim, millwork and toys.
Synonyms and Related Terms
European weeping birch (Betula pendula); Sandbirke (Deut.); Slöjdbjörk (Sven.); bouleau argenté (Fr.); abedul (Esp.); vidoeiro pendente (Port.); betulla (It.)
Physical and Chemical Properties
- Tree height = 15-25 m
- Bark = brown turning to white with age, smooth but may peel
- Flowers = catkins (3-5 cm long) in early spring
Resources and Citations
- R.Gale, P.Gasson, N.Hepper, G.Killen, "Wood" in Ancient Egyptian Materials and Technology, P.Nicholson, I.Shaw (eds.), Cambridge University Press, 2000, p. 334-371.
- Schoch, W., Heller, I., Schweingruber, F.H., Kienast, F., 2004:Wood anatomy of central European Species: Silver Birch,European White Birch, Betula pendula Roth
- The American Heritage Dictionary or Encarta, via Microsoft Bookshelf 98, Microsoft Corp., 1998
- Virginia Tech Dendrology website at www.fw.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/main.htm (accessed Oct. 3, 2005)
- Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Birch (Accessed Oct. 3, 2005)