| General Description | This birch is a deciduous tree with year-round interest from its light, curly exfoliating bark, deep green leaves in the summer, warm yellow leaves in autumn and the tree's remarkable winter silhouette.
|
| ID Characteristic | Long catkins that are dark yellow in colour. Short petiole (1.25 - 2.5 cm long) and thin, curly paper bark.
|
| Shape | Spreading open crown upon maturity. |
| Landscape | Urban landscape.
|
| Cultivation | Well-drained, moist soil. Types of soils are sand, clay and loam. Needs partial to full sun and slightly acidic soils (pH 5.0 - 6.5). |
| Pests | Bronze birch borer. |
| Notable Specimens | The Arnold Arboretum, Harvard University, Jamaica Plains, Massachusetts, United States of America. |
| Habitat | Mountain valleys of Japan. |
| Bark/Stem Description | Redish-brown exterior and soft cherry pink underlay. Light curly paper texture that coarsens with age.
|
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description | Medium sized buds featuring about 5 silky scales on each. Pigment ranges from green to brown. |
| Leaf Description | 8 cm long and about 4 cm wide. Ovate blade form with short double toothed edges. About 10 to 15 veins in pairs. The simple leaf arrangement is alternate.
|
| Flower Description | Male and female catkins that are long and yellow-brown in colour. |
| Colour Description | Medium brown bark with a light cherry pink underlay. Wintergreen stems that hold onto yellowish-brown catkins and dark green leaves that turn yellow in autumn. |