The November plant of the month is the Betula Jacquemontii, also known as the West Himalayan Birch tree. The Betula Jacquemontii, as the name suggests, is a birch tree native to the Himalayas. It looks amazing at any time of the year but especially during the winter period as it offers stunning colour from its beautiful white bark and stems.
A young West Himalayan Birch tree has a rich, brown bark. This colour quickly changes to a gleaming snow white as the tree matures and the bark peels. It is a vigorous and fast growing tree, growing up to 18metres in height. It bears alternately arranged ovate and dark green leaves, which warm up to bright yellow in fall before they shed for the winter. In spring, tiny yellow and brown male flowers appear in drooping catkins while greenish female flowers appear in upright catkins on the tree.
How To Care For The Betula Jacquemontii:
- It is a low maintenance and an easy to grow plant.
- The tree requires very little pruning. If pruning is necessary, I would recommend doing so during the dormant season.
- Avoid pruning during the spring as the sap is running from the tree.
Where To Plant The Betula Jacquemontii:
- It is ideal for all gardens and soils.
- It prefers moist but well drained soils with any pH.
- Plant in groups of 3 or 5 to fully benefit from it's beautiful colour.
- For additional drama and colour plant it alongside winter flowering heathers and spring flowering bulbs.
Not surprisingly the Betula Jacquemontii is one of the most popular birch trees for Irish gardens. It is a truly beautiful garden tree that offers colour all year round.
Have you got a gardening question on your mind? Just contact your local store where one of our helpful and knowledgeable staff will be happy to help and answer any questions you may have.