Erman's birch | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Rosids |
Order: | Fagales |
Family: | Betulaceae |
Genus: | Betula |
Subgenus: | Betula subg. Neurobetula |
Species: | B. ermanii
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Binomial name | |
Betula ermanii |
Betula ermanii, or Erman's birch, [1] is a species of birch tree belonging to the family Betulaceae. It is an extremely variable species and can be found in Northeast China, Korea, Japan, and Russian Far East ( Kuril Islands, Sakhalin, Kamchatka). It can grow to 20 metres (66 ft) tall. [2] It is noted for its peeling bark, which can sometimes be removed in sheets, but usually shreds and hangs from the trunk and under branches. Yellow-brown male catkins appear with the leaves in spring. [3]
Erman's birch is widely cultivated outside its natural range. The cultivar 'Grayswood Hill' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. [4]
Leading tree nurseries including Barcham Trees [5] stock the species. It is consequently a frequently encountered street tree in London and other British towns and cities.