Betula pendula "Purpurea", 8 l pot, +/- 1.5 m plant height

• Type: Silver birch
• Latin name: Betula pendula
• Cultivar: Purpurea
• Mature height: up to 6–8 m
• Leaves: dark purple
• Height when sold: ≈ 5 m
• Pot: 8 L
• Light: sunny
• Winter hardiness: USDA 2–7

Planting Plant in spring (late April – May) or autumn (September) in a sunny spot with fertile, well-drained soil; wet spots with standing water are unsuitable. Dig a hole twice as wide as the pot, mix the excavated soil with compost, set the plant at the same depth it grew in the pot and water generously. Space plants 3–5 m apart. Birch dislikes standing water; plant at least 4–5 m from buildings and utilities.

Watering Water a young plant regularly for the first two years and more often in dry spells; an established plant needs watering only in long dry periods. Mulch the soil with bark or wood chips.

Pruning Prune in summer (July–August) once the leaves are fully open – a birch pruned in spring "bleeds" sap. Remove dead and crossing branches and keep the crown shape of ornamental cultivars.

Feeding and winter care Feed in spring with compost or an organic fertiliser and, if needed, with a complex fertiliser in spring – early summer; give no nitrogen in autumn. The plant is hardy in Estonia; protect a young plant in its first winter with mulch and spruce boughs if needed, and the trunk against hares and frost cracks.