Managing height of White Stem Birch (Betula utilis)

BoardsMember · 07-05-2020 02:04PM #1

Hi - I have some White Stem Birch planted on West facing boundary. Idea of planting was to bring lots of green into the garden, and to provide some privacy. See attached pic for situation.

My hope is to manage the height of the trees so that they are tall enough to block out the houses to the west, and not too much higher. Estimate this "ideal" height to be circa 16ft. Trees were planted last April and are doing well. The label on the trees said 19ft high/8ft spread after 20 years. They are already up to 10+ feet.

As they grow, should I let them do their thing until they are well established in a few years until they look "fully grown", and then take some of the height off them?
Or is there a better way to keep the height in check on an ongoing basis?

My concern is that a very similar variety of tree planted a few years ago seems to have gone above their expected height (now circa 25ft +), so I would like to be a bit more pro-active as these new ones grow, if possible/appropriate.

Lumen · 07-05-2020 05:16PM

How close is it to the wall? Birch tend to have quite narrow crown but wide roots.

I don't think birch can be hard pruned very effectively, and that's going to be a big tree. It looks like a baby now.

magicbastarder · 07-05-2020 06:17PM

BoardsMember wrote: »

The label on the trees said 19ft high/8ft spread after 20 years

are you sure that's feet and not metres?

wildwillow · 07-05-2020 06:21PM

It will easily reach 18 METERS. Probably not the best tree for the location.

BoardsMember · 07-05-2020 07:01PM

magicbastarder wrote: »

are you sure that's feet and not metres?

Yeah I'm certain

BoardsMember · 07-05-2020 07:02PM

Lumen wrote: »

How close is it to the wall? Birch tend to have quite narrow crown but wide roots.

I don't think birch can be hard pruned very effectively, and that's going to be a big tree. It looks like a baby now.

Close, a foot or so.

I'm sensing some very negative vibes here....ðŸ˜¬ðŸ˜¬

standardg60 · 07-05-2020 07:43PM

As long as it's 'utilus', just leave them be. It takes a very trained eye to prune or formate Birch. My own 'jacquemontii' is at least 25ft after 17 years but is still lovely and light, they're not that invasive. If you do need to get them reduced in time just make sure you get someone who knows what they're doing.
The only thing i'd advise now that you can do yourself is to remove the three lowest branches of the tree pictured to 'balance' it up, and the same with any others you have, so the branches emanate radially from the same height.

standardg60 · 07-05-2020 07:51PM

BoardsMember wrote: »

Close, a foot or so.

I'm sensing some very negative vibes here....&#55357;&#56876;&#55357;&#56876;

Ignore them :-), they're all thinking 'Betula pendula'. Mines not much more than a foot away from a wall either and i planted it with every confidence there wouldn't be an issue, and there isn't!

blackbox · 07-05-2020 07:55PM

If you do decide to prune it, only do this when it is actively growing. Ideally June/ July.

Pruning birch when dormant can cause problems.

magicbastarder · 07-05-2020 08:02PM

standardg60 wrote: »

Ignore them :-), they're all thinking 'Betula pendula'.

uh, we're not that dim.
it wasn't clear at first whether the tree mentioned was the jacquemontii variety, but that size statement is easily the smallest i've yet seen for that tree. a quick google produced a smallest estimate of 9m for jacquemontii.

standardg60 · 07-05-2020 08:21PM

magicbastarder wrote: »

uh, we're not that dim.
it wasn't clear at first whether the tree mentioned was the jacquemontii variety, but that size statement is easily the smallest i've yet seen for that tree. a quick google produced a smallest estimate of 9m for jacquemontii.

So not 19 mtrs then? As per your previous post :-).
I'm not here to denigrate, just to share my experience, and i didn't need to google the expected height of a Betula utilus. Guides to the expected height of a tree are just that, guides.
While the OP didn't mention 'jacquemontii' at all, they did specify the species.

standardg60 · 07-05-2020 08:25PM

blackbox wrote: »

If you do decide to prune it, only do this when it is actively growing. Ideally June/ July.

Pruning birch when dormant can cause problems.[/QUOTE

Are you not referring to cherries here?

magicbastarder · 07-05-2020 08:28PM

standardg60 wrote: »

So not 19 mtrs then? As per your previous post :-).

"In its native habitat, B. utilis tends to form forests, growing as a shrub or tree reaching up to 20 m (66 ft) tall"

GinSoaked · 07-05-2020 08:37PM

Birch are considered short lived plants anyway they would rarely if ever reach 100 years old and a 70 year old one would be ancient and 50 years would be a reasonable garden life expectancy. So just make the most of it while it grows then when/if it gets to big cut it down.

magicbastarder · 07-05-2020 08:40PM

also worth pointing out that birch never really provide heavy shade anyway - so if the tree did get 10 foot taller than you envisaged, the effect would be markedly different to something like leylandii (lazy comparison, true) reaching the same height.

BoardsMember · 07-05-2020 08:59PM

magicbastarder wrote: »

also worth pointing out that birch never really provide heavy shade anyway - so if the tree did get 10 foot taller than you envisaged, the effect would be markedly different to something like leylandii (lazy comparison, true) reaching the same height.

Thanks for that. Still, when in full leaf (if that's a term) and if it goes much above 20ft or so, it will shade the patio from evening sun, rather than just hide the patio from houses opposite, as was designed, for a sunny patio all day and into the evening, until the sun sets behind the houses.

magicbastarder · 07-05-2020 09:14PM

it'll give you nice dappled shade though, most likely.
we have a 50 foot tall birch (betula pendula) in our garden and a similar height cypress of some description but growing in the garden behind, less than 10m away. the difference between sitting in shade of one compared to the other is quite marked.

BoardsMember · 07-05-2020 09:42PM

magicbastarder wrote: »

it'll give you nice dappled shade though, most likely.
we have a 50 foot tall birch (betula pendula) in our garden and a similar height cypress of some description but growing in the garden behind, less than 10m away. the difference between sitting in shade of one compared to the other is quite marked.

Thanks. We already have some silver birch, not sure exact species. But we love the leaves and the dappled light in their shade. Attached is a pic of the three we planted a few years back on the north boundary wall. You can see the first of the 4 we planted on the west wall in this shot.

Lumen · 07-05-2020 09:54PM

standardg60 wrote: »

My own 'jacquemontii' is at least 25ft after 17 years but is still lovely and light, they're not that invasive.

Would you mind posting a pic?

standardg60 · 08-05-2020 06:22PM

BoardsMember wrote: »

Thanks. We already have some silver birch, not sure exact species. But we love the leaves and the dappled light in their shade. Attached is a pic of the three we planted a few years back on the north boundary wall. You can see the first of the 4 we planted on the west wall in this shot.

Now, they are Betula pendula!

Btw hope i haven't upset anyone, never my intention.

standardg60 · 08-05-2020 06:24PM

Lumen wrote: »

Would you mind posting a pic?

God now you're getting technical, IT isn't my foremost asset!
I'll see what i can do :-).

standardg60 · 08-05-2020 06:36PM

Hope this works..

standardg60 · 08-05-2020 06:40PM

Nope, try again

Lumen · 08-05-2020 06:57PM

Now, that is a fine looking tree!

I have a similar Euphorbia infection btw. Damn things just won't die!

standardg60 · 08-05-2020 07:13PM

Lumen wrote: »

Now, that is a fine looking tree!

I have a similar Euphorbia infection btw. Damn things just won't die!

'Tis Euphorbia mellifera, wouldn't be without it.

Apologies for getting the gutter in the shot btw, how vulgar!

magicbastarder · 08-05-2020 07:41PM

regarding the euphorbia, how hard can you cut it back in the winter? will it survive a full scalp?
we gave one to my sister years ago and she's never pruned it, and it's a bit of a monster now.

standardg60 · 08-05-2020 08:16PM

magicbastarder wrote: »

regarding the euphorbia, how hard can you cut it back in the winter? will it survive a full scalp?
we gave one to my sister years ago and she's never pruned it, and it's a bit of a monster now.

Seeing as you asked :-).

Euphorbias have quite a specific pruning regime. If you stick your head in it you should notice some new shoots emanating from close to the base. Mine has! These will carry next years flowers so all current growth can be cut back to those stems now (i'll leave mine for another while as the seed heads on mellifera are nice in their own right).
Whilst i've never personally had a reaction to the milky sap it is generally advised to wear gloves while doing so.
Hope that helps :-)

BoardsMember · 08-05-2020 09:49PM

standardg60 wrote: »

Now, they are Betula pendula!

Btw hope i haven't upset anyone, never my intention.

We absolutely love them.

They are near overhead cables so going to have to trim them this winter.

Managing height of White Stem Birch (Betula utilis)

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