Description
This birch has highly distinctive bark that resembles melted dark chocolate in its early years; as the tree matures the lustrous dark-brown bark peels away to reveal a spectrum of brown shades. In spring, yellow-brown catkins appear and these are soon followed by the ovate, tapered, dark-green leaves. Further interest is added in autumn when the leaves turn to a buttery yellow colour before falling.
This is, of course, a fantastic choice for winter interest as the ornamental bark takes centre stage in a winter garden.In terms of its habit this birch is fairly upright and it will grow to be a real feature of your garden. We love this when planted alongside a sparkling white birch, like the Betula utiis var. jacquemontii ‘Silver Shadow’.
Common Name: Wakehurst Place Chocolate Birch
Latin Name: Betula utilis ‘Wakehurst Place Chocolate’
