{"product_id":"100-graines-de-bouleau-blanc-pleureur-betula-pendula-verrucosa","title":"100 Seeds of Weeping Silver Birch (Betula pendula verrucosa)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBetula pendula\u003c\/em\u003e (syn. \u003cem\u003eBetula verrucosa\u003c\/em\u003e)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWeeping silver birch, silver birch, European birch, weeping birch: its white bark peels away in thin paper-like sheets, a feature that has been used for millennia to make containers, canoes, and even the oldest manuscripts of Central Asia. It is also the quintessential pioneer tree, the first to recolonize bare ground.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCharacteristics:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBright white bark:\u003c\/strong\u003e its distinctive feature, luminous all year round and spectacular in winter.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeeping habit:\u003c\/strong\u003e drooping branches give it a unique grace and lightness.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLight foliage:\u003c\/strong\u003e pale green in summer and golden yellow in autumn, it lets the light through.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eModerate size:\u003c\/strong\u003e 10 to 15 metres at maturity, with rapid growth during the first few years.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSowing advice:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eExposure:\u003c\/strong\u003e full sun to partial shade.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e light, well-drained, rather acidic to neutral, even poor or sandy — it is a pioneer and settles where the soil is inhospitable. It tolerates damp soil well but dislikes strongly calcareous soil and prolonged drought, as its roots are shallow.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMethod:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"\/tr-intl\/blogs\/le-coin-des-graines\/stratification-a-froid-graines\"\u003ecold stratification\u003c\/a\u003e for 60 to 90 days is recommended. Then sow on the surface without covering, as its tiny winged seeds need light to germinate. Germination in 2 to 4 weeks at 15-20 °C.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlanting advice:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTransplant it while young to its permanent position: birch does not tolerate transplantation well once established. Plant it as a solitary specimen, in a group of three, or in a row.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIts white bark and graceful habit make it a popular bonsai subject — see our guide \u003ca href=\"\/tr-intl\/blogs\/le-coin-des-graines\/creer-un-bonsai-a-partir-d-une-graine-guide\"\u003ecreating a bonsai from a seed\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCare advice:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWater moderately while it becomes established; afterward, it becomes fairly self-sufficient. Mulch around the base: its shallow roots suffer during dry summers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDo not prune it in spring: it “bleeds” sap abundantly. Prune in late summer or autumn.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBeneficial combinations:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePerfect at the edge of woodland with other local species such as \u003ca href=\"\/tr-intl\/products\/150-graines-de-sureau-noir-sambucus-nigra\"\u003eblack elder\u003c\/a\u003e, or in contrast with light-shade ground covers such as \u003ca href=\"\/tr-intl\/products\/100-graines-de-bruyere-massif-fleurs-plante-mellifere-jardin-semences-paysannes\"\u003eheather\u003c\/a\u003e, which shares its preference for acidic soils.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePermaculture tip:\u003c\/strong\u003e as a pioneer species, it structures poor soils and initiates plant succession toward more complex forest systems. Its light shade allows an understory to be established from the early years. See \u003ca href=\"\/tr-intl\/blogs\/le-coin-des-graines\/bases-permaculture\"\u003ethe basics of permaculture\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBenefits for biodiversity:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBirch is one of Europe’s tree species with the richest associated biodiversity: several hundred insect species depend on it, including many butterfly caterpillars.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIts seeds feed siskins, goldfinches, and tits throughout the winter.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIt forms mycorrhizal associations with numerous fungi, including several boletes — see \u003ca href=\"\/tr-intl\/blogs\/le-coin-des-graines\/sol-vivant-bacteries-champignons\"\u003ethe basics of living soil\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUses:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOrnamental tree for gardens, avenues, and wet areas. Its light-coloured, lightweight wood is valued for light joinery, woodturning, and carving. Its sap, collected in spring, is a traditional drink in northern Europe.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSymbolism:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA symbol of renewal, purity, and light throughout Northern Europe, the birch is associated with resilience: it is often the very first tree to recolonize bare or burned ground.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHarvesting your own seeds:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHarvest the hanging female catkins as soon as they turn brown in late summer, before they disintegrate, then crumble them over a container: the winged seeds are tiny and extremely numerous. See \u003ca href=\"\/tr-intl\/blogs\/le-coin-des-graines\/conserver-ses-graines\"\u003estoring your seeds\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOur Commitment to Quality:\u003c\/strong\u003e at SemiSauvage - Permaculture, we grow and select our seeds with respect for living systems as our guiding principle. Based near the Auvergne Volcanoes, we choose open-pollinated, non-hybrid varieties, tested for their germination rate, carefully sorted and packaged, with no chemical treatment. Our conviction: to give gardeners back the ability to resow, year after year, seeds that truly belong to them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlant the quintessential pioneer tree and set life in motion on bare soil.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"SemiSauvage","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51739745878349,"sku":"3760335363337","price":5.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0826\/1658\/2477\/files\/bouleau-pleureuse-fond-blanc-semisauvage-permaculture-graines-reproductibles.webp?v=1751965031","url":"https:\/\/semisauvage.com\/tr-intl\/products\/100-graines-de-bouleau-blanc-pleureur-betula-pendula-verrucosa","provider":"SemiSauvage","version":"1.0","type":"link"}