Mature Chinese Red Birch Tree, Betula Albosinensis Fascination Options
100+cm: 3-5L pot, usually 100-150cm tall.
125-150cm: Usually comes in a 3-15 pot.
150-200cm: Usually comes in a 9-12L pot and a half standard form.
180-240cm: Usually comes in a 12-18L pot and a half standard form
400-500cm: Usually in 200+ Litre Pot and a multi-stem.
Mature Chinese Red Birch Tree
The catalogue describes Betula Albosinensis Fascination trees as striking but we have sat and watched for days and not seen one on a picket line. As it comes from China, maybe it still thinks it is not allowed to? If you are unsure about a peeling bark tree in your garden, put "post-it" notes on your patio umbrella to visualise the look.
It will grow quickly to around 6 x 4 m after 10 years which can be converted to 4 x 6 m if viewed from a lying down position. It will grow into the old-style pyramid shape if you don't prune it. If you want to go for the modern pyramid shape, you probably have to put in windows and a satellite dish.
It has quite distinctive peeling white bark which peels to show younger bark of different colours underneath. If you keep peeling until you see a wood colour, you have run out of bark. Expect bark colour to change with the seasons and by that, we mean weather, not football or tax return.
As the Chinese Red Birch is a deciduous tree (please read that part carefully as it looks a LOT like "delicious"), you can expect the usual Birch Autumnal colours from green to yellow. Should you get anything very different then check for sunglasses first and then low-flying rainbows.
If you don't have male catkin flowers around 10cm long in the Spring then someone has stolen your tree or you are in the wrong garden.
The Royal Horticultural Society has given the variety Betula Albosinensis their prestigious Award of Garden Merit in 1993. As there have been no scandals in the news about this tree, it is unlikely they have withdrawn it given the current cancel culture. For more information, please read all this again.
Message Card included at no additional cost if required. Just add the information required on the card at checkout.
Pruning Mature Chinese Red Birch Tree
This type of Betula prefers to be left along and will not benefit from any structured pruning or shaping although it is always wise to cut out dead, diseased or crossing branches. The closest you want to get to pruning this tree is hanging dried plums from it.
Planting Mature Chinese Red Birch Tree
As with most Betula, the Fascination will tolerate wet sites and by this, we mean damp dirt, not websites selling bottled Evian. It can also tolerate chalk and drought so a fairly tough tree all around. Most Betula will stand short-term standing water. For best results get an expert to plant it with excellent long-term liability insurance. Failing that plant in well-draining soils in full or partial shade and for best results plant in acidic soil.
Interesting Information About Mature Chinese Red Birch Tree
The name of this tree is not ancient Roman for "too thin for toilet paper".
Bits of the tree have been described by experts as "tree bits".
The bark of the Betula Albosinensis Fascination tree can improve your love life... if your doctor writes the prescription for Viagra on it.
If you say something to annoy your tree, it will be a complete Birch about it and give you the silent treatment.
No one has ever said curlers instead of pruning is a bad idea.
Ideal for passive-aggressive neighbour revenge, you can hide behind the tree after setting fire to their shed.
Planting a Chinese Red Birch Tree is a great way of filling the hole you just dug for it.
Ornamental Tree Roots In The Shade e.g. Behind A Fence
It is more important that that foliage (posh term for leaves) receives the sunlight than the roots. So if the canopy of your ornamental tree can sunbathe but the bottom of your tree thinks there has been a nuclear winter then that is ok. You might want to ensure you have good drainage as water and no sun is the start of algae and other such issues.
Do I Need To Stake My Ornamental Tree?
Our article on Tree Staking should help guide you.
Planting In The Corner Of A Garden
Air and light is reduced in this location which could promote fungus and bacterial issues. If the corner is of the house and a fence then you also have leeching issues to contend with from cement and wood preservatives. Also when it rains, that area would experience higher water levels so we advise against it unless the plant is very hardy.
Water Logged Conditions
Willow, Alder, Birch and Poplar may help lower the water level so long as you do not have permanent standing water e.g. your local diving and sailing club meets on your lawn.
