White Birch

Having grown up in the northeast, perhaps my favorite tree is the white birch. They have a look of purity about them--standing out among the other trees in the forest without being ostentatious. Their bark is like paper and sheds off in rolls. Very nice.

I have discovered that you don't really appreciate these trees until you have lived in warmer regions where they simply cannot grow and are not found. I suppose some southern folks feel the same way about magnolias or palm trees when they come north.

Anyway, my plan is to plant several of these white birch around the pond. They often grow together in groups of two or three, and that is how I would do it--probably a total of three at various locations on pond's edge.

Perhaps these pics will give you an idea of why I like these trees so much:

This is a pic of a solitary tree. From a distance it may look something like a weeping willow, but they are nothing like them (willows are kind of nasty bug-riddled trees):


Here is a pic of how you will often see them in their natural environment in the forest:


A bit closer:


. . . and closer yet:


The birch family of trees naturally do well in moist soil near bodies of water. There is also a variation of the white birch which seems to thrive well in Virginia heat. It's bark is a little more cream colored. I have a bit more investigation to do before I make a final decision.