Betula alnoides
| Betula alnoides | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 8 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 131' |
| Speed: | Fast |
| Blooms: | Mid Spring |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Betula alnoides
Propagation: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a light position in a cold frame[1][2][3][4]. Only just cover the seed and place the pot in a sunny position[1][2][4]. Spring sown seed should be surface sown in a sunny position in a cold frame[3][4]. If the germination is poor, raising the temperature by covering the seed with glass can help[4]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
If you have sufficient seed, it can be sown in an outdoor seedbed, either as soon as it is ripe or in the early spring - do not cover the spring sown seed. Grow the plants on in the seedbed for 2 years before planting them out into their permanent positions in the winter[1][2][3][4].
Cultivation: Succeeds in a well-drained loamy soil in a sheltered position[5][6]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Dislikes wet soils[6]. Shade tolerant[6].
This species is not very hardy and does not always succeed outdoors in Britain but some provenances should be hardy[5].
Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[7].
Trees are notably susceptible to honey fungus[6].
Range: E. Asia - Himalayas to S.W. China.
Habitat: Forests, ravines and streamsides, Himachel Pradesh to S.W. China, 1500 - 2700 metres[8].
Edibility: Inner bark - can be dried, then ground into a powder and added to flour for use in making bread, cakes etc[9]. Inner bark is generally only seen as a famine food, used when other forms of starch are not available or are in short supply[K].
Medicinal: The plant has been used as an antidote in the treatment of snake bites[10][11].
A decoction of the bark is used to treat dislocated bones[12].
Usage: The thin layer of outer bark is used as a paper[13].
The juice of the bark is used for decorating wood[12].
Wood - moderately hard, close grained, strong, durable[14][15]. Used for minor construction[12].
Pollinators: Wind
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Seed Ripens: Early Fall
Flower Type: Monoecious
Heavy Clay: Grows in heavy-clay soils.
Also Known As: B. acuminata.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Sheat, Wilfrid. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. St Martin, 1948.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 McMillan-Browse, Philip. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. Grower Books, 1985.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Dirr, Michael and Charles Heuser. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press, 1987.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Rice, Graham. Growing from Seed Volume 2. Thompson and Morgan, 1988.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Tutin, Tom et al.. Flora Europaea. Cambridge University Press, 1964.
- ↑ Polunin, Oleg and Adam Stainton. Flowers of the Himalayas. Oxford Universtiy Press, 1984.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ Chopra, R. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, 1986.
- ↑ Manandhar, N. Medicinal Plants of Nepal Himalaya. Department of Medicinal Plants, 1993.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Manandhar, Narayan. Plants and People of Nepal. Timber Press, 2002.
- ↑ Usher, George. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable, 1974.
- ↑ Gamble, James. A Manual of Indian Timbers. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, 1972.
- ↑ Gupta, Basant. Forest Flora of Chakrata, Dehra Dun and Saharanpur. Forest Research Institute Press, 1945.