It is a close relative of the common birch and is a shrub with big amount branches. The height of the bush does not exceed one meter, and the width of its crown can reach one and a half meters. Has small and round leaves dark green above and light green below.
Sometimes dwarf birch is so small that only leaves can be seen on the surface of the lichen. The leaves are attached to the stems using short petioles. The earrings of this type of birch, in turn, are small and have a round-oval design. During ripening, they crumble into their component parts: scales and fruits.
The fruits are small, about 2 millimeters long, oval nuts with wings on the sides. Dwarf birch blooms in May, before the leaves bloom, with small, unisexual and unattractive flowers. Fruiting occurs starting in June.
Dwarf birch grows quite slowly. Its winter hardiness is very high, it is not for nothing that it grows in the northern regions of the earth’s hemispheres: North America, Northern Russia, Yakutia and Western Siberia. It is very often found in the highlands of the Alps. Her favorite places are rocky slopes and swampy areas of the Tundra.
Decorative look dwarf birch used for landscaping personal plots, areas around buildings, for landscaping park facilities and creating landscape views in landscape design. Thanks to the compact, rounded shape of the crown, this shrub does not require constant trimming.
Planting and care. Before planting, a hole is dug into which a mixture of garden soil, peat, humus and sand is added. Subsequently, the plants are fed with complex fertilizers, starting from spring until autumn. For fertilizing, you can use nitrogen-containing fertilizers such as mullein, nitrogen fertilizer and ammonium nitrate. In the fall, you can use nitroammophoska or Kemira-universal fertilizer for fertilizing.
After planting in the first 3-4 days, it is necessary to water the plant abundantly, and on hot days it is advisable to increase the volume of liquid.
To control weeds, loosen the soil in the area of the root system. In addition, the soil will be saturated with oxygen.
After the earrings have ripened, you can sow the seeds. This can be done immediately or wait until late autumn after collecting the seeds.
Reproduction. Dwarf birch reproduces by seedlings or seeds. Seedlings are planted in the ground in spring or autumn. They choose loose, well-fertilized soils, but as practice shows, they take root well on any type of soil. At the same time, the dwarf birch loves moisture very much, so it needs to be provided with regular watering. Upon disembarkation large plants with an open root system, their death is possible, since stronger plants do not like transplantation and do not take root well.
Pests. The dwarf birch has its own significant set of pests. These include mole crickets, bladderworts (thrips), beetleworms, goldfish, silkworms, and leaf sawflies. When fighting them, the shrub should be treated with fungicides and insecticides.
Tundra is one of the most suitable places for its growth. In this regard, it is the most common plant of the tundra. In this place there are entire thickets of this type of birch, especially in the southern part of the tundra. Moreover, it is distributed over almost the entire area of the tundra zone. Its neighbors in these harsh areas are lichens, moss and dwarf willows. Basically, dwarf birch serves as food for animals, but larger specimens are used by the local population as fuel.
In the tundra, this type of birch is called “ernik”, which translated means “shrub”. It is very difficult to survive in the harsh conditions of the North, and therefore this type of bush has developed its own survival technology. It grows and moves further under layers of snow cover, spreading thick branches widely. Thus it is protected from severe frosts and freezing. That's why it grows not as a straight tree, but as a spreading shrub. Ernik is woven into the moss with its many branches to such an extent that on the surface you can only notice the leaves and catkins of the dwarf birch. With its thickets it occupies a very large areas and through the same thickets it moves deeper into the tundra.
In such conditions, propagation by seeds occurs very rarely due to the fact that the seeds do not have time to ripen, and they rarely develop. Ernik has another, more effective method ready - vegetative. The bush literally crawls along the ground, clinging to it with its branches. As a result of such contact, auxiliary roots are formed on the branches and at the points of their formation, young shoots of dwarf birch emerge in the coming year. Seeds of dwarf birch develop at the beginning of great cold weather and remain in winter period in earrings.
Young dwarf birch shoots appear only in areas where nothing is growing at that moment. Such areas appear after animals visit these places, for example, caribou are reindeer. They very actively clear the territory of everything edible, especially since there is not so much of it in the tundra. This space is then irrigated with melted spring waters. The combination of all these conditions allows the dwarf birch to occupy this territory. In the future, having populated this area, it will become one of the links in a huge, and so necessary, root chain.
Despite its small size, the dwarf birch can live for about 100 years. After reaching this age, the process of rejuvenation of the bush begins to occur. Old branches begin to dry out and finally die. In their place, new young branches are formed, which begin new life. But not all shrubs thus continue their movement across the tundra. Many of them dry up on the root, and bearberry settles in its place. As soon as young dwarf birch shoots appear in this place, the bearberry gradually begins to retreat. Based on this, we can say that dwarf birch is resistant not only to the harsh conditions of the tundra, but also has great “survivability.”
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Despite such a traditional name - dwarf birch - this tree is not at all similar to the slender sisters that inhabit deciduous forests and groves. Dwarf birch is a shrub that grows in the tundra. It climbs quite high and feels comfortable only in swamps or on mountain slopes, at an altitude of about half a kilometer above sea level. Dwarf birch spreads along the ground, like periwinkle, but at the same time it is a full-fledged bush that looks rather pretentious and clumsy. However, this does not interfere landscape designers have a special love for the representative of the northern flora and use it in design country houses and personal plots.
In Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug dwarf birch is called “ernik”, which means shrub in Nenets.
In the mountains, where dwarf birch is accustomed to growing, it spreads along the ground, thereby creating impenetrable thickets. And this is not an exaggeration: the birch tree is intertwined with its friend - the dwarf willow, the same creeping shrub as itself. As a result, entire thickets appear on the ground surface. Low, but completely irresistible. It is not possible for a person to step over or walk on them.
Yornik-shale (another name for dwarf birch), despite the eccentric appearance, is part of the Birch family. The bush rarely grows tall. The maximum recorded height is 1.2 m, but such an indicator is very rare. Most often, the yernik is removed from the ground by 20 cm, maximum - by 60 cm. The main characteristics of the tundra baby are listed below.
Yornik, due to the climatic conditions in which it lives, grows extremely slowly. Scientists have deduced variety Golden Treasure, which is not only not afraid of frost, but also easily grows in soil that is excessively waterlogged. True, the plant is afraid of drought and can easily tolerate only short-term heat.
You can bring a dwarf birch home from a trip. It cannot be said that this plant is very common in our latitudes; it can be found in garden center It won't be entirely easy. Therefore, if there is an opportunity to bring a living souvenir home, take advantage of it. Another option is to buy birchberry seeds and propagate it yourself. However, perhaps, in a specialized garden center in your city, a representative of the tundra flora will still be found, thereby simplifying the implementation of your planned landscape project.
Landing algorithm
The first few months after planting, the birch tree must be watered abundantly, doing this often and regularly and in no case allowing the soil to dry out. If next year the summer is too dry, regular spraying of shoots and leaves will need to be added to watering. If possible and willing, the soil around the birch tree should be mulched. Mulch in in this case can speak at least sawdust, even crushed stone, even bark.
The main thing is that in dry conditions summer days this coating will protect dwarf plant from too rapid evaporation of water.
Fertilize the birch tree twice a year. The first time was in the spring. For this purpose, use the fertilizer “Nitroammofoska”. The second time the birch tree is fed in summer period. Repeated application of fertilizing is carried out using a complex preparation.
In the middle zone, the dwarf birch tree lives well. The climatic conditions are ideal, thanks to which the seeds have time to fully ripen. According to experts, it is necessary to sow the seed collected from the tundra baby either immediately after collection, or at the end of autumn, after the first frost. Ernik can also be propagated in a simpler and effective way- vegetative. To implement it you will need several branches cut from the bush.
Algorithm for cutting dwarf birch
As you can see, everything is as simple as two and two. A representative of the tundra flora easily takes root in our latitudes and develops faster than in its frozen homeland.
Yornik in landscape design occurs infrequently. The reason is simple: not everyone knows how to work with it and what plants it should be combined with. Below we list just a few options for using tundra babies, each of which is beautiful in its own way.
Alpine slide. If you are a fan of alpine hills (or rockeries), if you strive to recreate not only the landscape, but also the vegetation of a mountain slope, be sure to include the “Dwarf Birch” item in your shopping list. Designers often make it one of the centers of such compositions. The foliage of the plant turns into an amazing background, which is colored green in summer and glows with the colors of withering in autumn.
Japanese kindergarten. A rocky garden, replete with large pebbles and cobblestones, will look even more beautiful if you plant one or more birch trees in it. In compositions of this kind, experts recommend combining it with heather.
Near a pond. If there is a small artificial reservoir on the site, for example, a pond or stream, a dwarf birch tree can imitate the miraculous nature of this landscape. It is worth supplementing the birch tree near an artificial reservoir with the following plants:
Tundra corner. If there is a place on your personal plot that in the spring turns into a swamp due to flooding and on which you do not risk planting garden crops, use it for decorative purposes. For example, recreate a small tundra by decorating a flooded location with mosses, cranberries, birch and dwarf ferns. Among such neighbors, a baby birch with its intricately curved shoots will look more than organic.
Another option for using birch tree in landscape design is creating a hedge. True, in this case the bush will need to be trimmed regularly so that it branches and thereby forms, albeit a low, but very dense living fence.
The birch genus (Betula) includes about 40 species of trees and shrubs found in the temperate and cool Northern Hemisphere. Thanks to its decorative qualities, the picturesque tree with an airy crown has found wide application in garden landscape design.
Varieties and types of birch are fully adapted to the climate middle zone. The culture is characterized by rapid growth and unpretentiousness. Low decorative birch trees are beautifully presented as tapeworms against the background of a lawn, as well as in groups, in the company of, for example, conifers.
Depending on the species, the bark can be white, dark, yellow or even slightly pink. The root system is usually small and highly branched, so there is not sufficient stability in strong winds.
Caring for birch is not difficult, and planting in containers can be done throughout the season.
Silver birch (Betula pendula). The most popular and widespread type of classic birch in the landscape of the middle zone. Tall tree, growing up to 30 m tall with long, thin, weeping branches. The species itself is rarely used in garden landscaping, but its low, graceful varieties have become sought-after plants in landscape design.
Varieties of this type:
"Trost's Dwarf" - With completely unusual low-growing variety with an openwork, airy crown of thin, needle-like leaves;
Birch "Yungi" (Youngii). One of the most popular low varietal forms. The height does not exceed 2-3 meters, but the growth of the tree can be controlled by pruning;
Variety "Yungi" on a standard "Royal Frost" is a tree with showy chocolate-burgundy, glossy leaves that turn bronze in the fall. The crown is loose, pyramidal. It grows up to a maximum of 10 m. It develops well in almost all conditions and is most resistant to pests;
"Golden Cloud" - a small tree whose leaves are golden-green throughout the season, “Fastigiata” - the crown of the tree resembles the shape of a cypress or pyramidal poplar.
Paper or Canoi birch (Betula paperifera) from North America. Characterized by white bark with sparse dark stripes, sometimes shades of pink, cream or yellow are found. The crown is dense, not weeping. The bark of this tree was used by the Indians as paper. Variety "Renci" with a triangular crown and golden leaves in autumn.
Himalayan hybrid Jacquemond(Betula utilis var. Jacquemontii). Is different large leaves and smooth snow-white bark. Varieties: 'Doorenbos', 'Jermyns', 'Silver Shadow' and 'Grayswood Ghost'.
Varieties of the species Betula nigra:
"Little King" is a fast-growing dwarf form of a dense multi-stemmed tree with a wide, rounded crown;
"Summer Cascade" is a small tree with a dense crown of weeping thin branches that reach to the ground. Grows well in both wet and dry soils.
Dwarf decorative birch of the Nana group (Betula nana). These are low bushes or trees, reaching a height of 50 cm to 1 meter. The branches are dark, covered with tiny round, glossy leaves. A magnificent hybrid on a standard with golden “Golden Treasure” foliage. Prefers peat soils.
"Magical Globe"- a new variety on a trunk, originally from Australia, characterized by a spherical crown and dwarf growth. Feels good in the sun, prefers permeable, dry and rather poor soils.
All types of birch are completely unpretentious. For growing, choose a sunny position or light partial shade. Soil requirements are low. The culture grows well in any type of soil, both in poor sandy and fertile substrates, but does not tolerate stagnant water. The only species that can tolerate excess water and grows well in swamps is black birch.
Birch trees can be planted in containers from spring to autumn, and bare-rooted seedlings are planted when they are dormant in November and early March.
When planting a birch tree on a site, the size of the tree should be taken into account. Large specimens are planted at a distance of 4-5 meters from each other and from buildings. Distance between dwarf varieties is one and a half to two meters.
Low growing varieties are ideal solution for small areas, rock gardens and look great in composition with conifers, decorative trees and shrubs (barberry, willow, spruce, thuja, larch, spirea, chokeberry, etc.).
The rules for planting birch trees are simple. Dig a hole in a sunny and sheltered place. strong wind place. Mix the soil from it with part peat, two parts or leaf soil. If the soil is heavy, add half a coarse river sand for water permeability.
The plant is placed in a hole, the roots and root collar are covered with soil. The soil is compacted and watered well. Since the root system of the tree is superficial, all planted seedlings must be strengthened by tying them to a support.
Due to the shallow root system, young seedlings are watered regularly, preventing the soil from drying out. Adult specimens also need regular watering. The crop does not tolerate prolonged drought and feels comfortable in moderately moist soils.
The crop responds well to pruning. Unwanted shoots can be pruned once a year to form a crown, preferably in the fall, when all the leaves have already fallen.
Which require a lot of attention and expense. Today we will discuss an excellent dwarf version of a familiar tree - birch. You will learn where dwarf birch grows, what it is and how difficult it is to grow.
Dwarf birch is a small tree that has a height of 20 to 70 cm. Mini birch leaves are round or oval, reach a length of up to 15 cm, and have jagged edges. In the fall, as is the case with most trees, the leaves turn bright red, creating a beautiful picture. The fruit is a small nut that is several millimeters long and wide.
Fruiting occurs from to.
In appearance, birch resembles a creeping shrub, the shoots of which grow roots and cling to them. Thus, one bush can occupy a significant area. Important!
Popular varieties
You have learned what a dwarf birch looks like, now let’s talk about possible varieties that look more decorative than the wild version.
Golden Treasure
It is a miniature version, which is from 60 to 80 cm, has a diameter of no more than 1.5 m. The shoots are densely located, the leaves are painted in a light green color.
Unfortunately, other varieties of birch cannot be called dwarf, since they grow up to 4-6 m in height and require completely different conditions. Therefore, if you want to purchase a dwarf birch tree, then you are unlikely to be able to find any other option.
Did you know? Decoctions and infusions of birchberry leaves help with male infertility, increase potency, and remove salts and kidney stones.
Low-growing birch is also called birch and slate. It grows in northern regions around the world (Europe, Canada, Russia). Meet miniature tree it is possible even in the Alps at an altitude of several thousand meters. Dwarf birch grows in the tundra, where mosses and lichens cover the marshy soil. If we take the territory of the Russian Federation, then it can be found in nature in Yakutia, Siberia and Kamchatka. 
Although the dwarf birch can withstand extreme low temperatures, however, there is enough lighting and space high requirements. It is impossible to grow shrubs in the shade; at a minimum there should be partial shade, and ideally a sunny place. In this case, the plant will hurt less and grow faster. You need to choose a place where a lot of melt water usually collects in the spring. Any more or less illuminated lowland where more valuable crops or trees cannot be planted.
In appearance, birch resembles a creeping shrub, the shoots of which grow roots and cling to them. Thus, one bush can occupy a significant area. The shrub can tolerate short-term droughts without any problems.
If you are going to plant dwarf birch in a lowland, then take care of good soil And . It is highly undesirable to use clay or other moisture-intensive options, since the bush cannot always evaporate a large number of moisture, and the crop is not immune from rotting.
Therefore, when planting, be sure to place drainage in the hole and use soil that best conducts moisture.
In appearance, birch resembles a creeping shrub, the shoots of which grow roots and cling to them. Thus, one bush can occupy a significant area. The substrate must be acidic or slightly acidic.
Planting seeds can be done either immediately after collection or in the fall. The seeds are not afraid of frost, so there is no need to additionally insulate the soil. 
Before sowing, it is advisable to double-check all seeds and dry them well. Next, we select a place according to the criteria described above and sow. Several furrows should be made, 5 cm deep and up to 10 cm wide. Pour out all the seed and carefully roll up the soil. The distance between the furrows should be at least 30 cm. It is worth remembering that every year the seeds lose their viability, so it is advisable to sow them in the same year in which they were collected.
Let's start with choosing a seedling. Ideally, buy an option that is in a container, since there is no danger of damage or drying out the roots. Always thoroughly check the condition of the seedling at the time of purchase. 
A few days before planting, a hole with a diameter of 1-1.5 m is dug. The lower soil is removed, and the upper soil is mixed with humus, fertile garden soil, sand and so that the roots of the seedling do not come into contact with clean or “mineral water”.
Next, planting is carried out, during which the roots of the plant are not separated from the earthen clod (if present). If there is no coma, then it is advisable to soak the roots in water, holding them for several hours. First, we line the bottom of the pit with drainage, which can be represented by small pebbles, crushed stone or expanded clay. The layer should be about 15-20 cm. 
Next, pour out a little soil mixture so that a mound is formed in the center, on which we will place an earthen ball with roots. After placing the seedling in the hole, we adjust it so that it grows upward and not to the side. Pour out the remaining earthen mixture, lightly compacting it.
At the end, we water the bush and mulch it, if this option is acceptable to you. 
Did you know? In northern latitudes, birch pollen sometimes causes seasonal hay fever in sensitive people.
After landing you need to take care proper care behind the northern beauty to ensure proper development. Let's also talk about crown formation.
It’s worth starting with the fact that the bush “fights” excess moisture very well, evaporating up to 250 liters of moisture through the leaves per season. Such scales indicate that even the slightest drying out of the soil should not be allowed, otherwise the birch will draw out and evaporate the remaining moisture and begin to dry out or become sick. Exactly because of this reason It is necessary to water abundantly, maintaining constant soil moisture. Of course, if water accumulates at the planting site all year round, then watering is carried out only in the summer. 
Speaking about feeding, we pay attention not only to the “mineral water”, but also to the humus. In the spring we add or complex fertilizers, as well as humus or compost. In the fall, you can apply a similar fertilizer.
Dwarf birch (Betula nana in Latin, or dwarf birch in the people) is a rounded shrub; the largest specimens reach 1.2 meters in height. Thickets of dwarf birch in wildlife can be found in the Northern Hemisphere. The homeland of dwarf birch is the tundra. Due to harsh climatic conditions, only dwarf trees, low-growing, but very resilient, like all tundra plants. The lifespan of this tree is up to 120 years.
Dwarf birch is found in the wild in the northern regions of Russia.
The dwarf birch is a close relative of the common birch, familiar to everyone. But visually this plant is very different and does not in any way resemble a slender, tall beauty with a white trunk. A fancifully curved, creeping decorative birch can become the highlight of a plant composition in a garden or greenhouse; a bonsai made from this plant also looks great. Considering that dwarf birch grows in northern latitudes, minimal care is required for this crop.
Where else do dwarf trees grow? Low-growing birch can be found in Siberia, Yakutia, North Korea and Japan, North America, Canada, Kamchatka. Also, dwarf birch can grow in mountainous areas: at an altitude of up to 850 meters in Scotland, and on hills up to 2000 meters high in the Alps.
Dwarf birch is a highly branched or creeping shrub. Its shoots are thin and flexible. Depending on the habitat, the shoots can rise up or spread along the ground, like many tundra plants. Miniature specimens are often completely hidden in lichen thickets, with only bright green leaves visible on the surface. Spreading into different sides, they are capable of densely covering an area of 3 square meters.
The small leaves reach only 1.5 cm in length and range from 1 to 2 cm in width. The leaves are very bright, dark green on top and bright green below, round in shape. In autumn they turn yellow and red.
The dwarf birch blooms with miniature yellow-green earrings, also very bright and rich color. After pollination, the earrings begin to dry, then fall apart into scales and reveal the fruit - tiny nuts up to 2 mm long, brown in color with two wings on the sides. The plant blooms in May, until early summer, and bears fruit until the end of June.
Dwarf birch is one of the deciduous trees, used to create bonsai.
Birch bark has a variety of shades and textures; it can be smooth, cork, or embossed. It is thanks to the bark that the dwarf plant looks so decorative and attractive. The brown, gray, brown rugged trunk contrasts beautifully with the bright foliage.
In the vastness of the tundra, this shrub-like dwarf tree is almost the only decoration. Its neighbors are lichens, mosses, and dwarf willows. This is a winter-hardy plant that can tolerate even very low temperatures without problems; it will not be very comfortable in a dry and warm room. You need to remember this when planning to grow dwarf birch at home.
Reproduction of dwarf birch is carried out in two ways:
The plant can be transferred to the ground both in spring and autumn - the seedling will survive the winter. The shrub will take root in any soil, but if possible, preference should be given to sandy loam and light loamy compositions. After planting, the soil must be fertilized and watered well.
Large seedlings with bare roots require special care. If watering is insufficient, it may begin to wither and dry out from the top. In this case, the dried tip is cut off by five to seven centimeters, and the plant is transplanted into more moist soil, not forgetting about fertilizing and watering.
plant young plant in the ground can be done both in spring and autumn.
The plant needs to be fertilized in early spring and in the middle of summer. Peat, humus, phosphorus-potassium can be applied as fertilizer. mineral mixtures. You can also use:
If there is a need for autumn feeding, then it is better to use “nitroammophoska”.
As for watering, immediately after planting the soil should be moistened abundantly for three to four days. You cannot forget about regularly watering the plant. Behind summer season it can absorb up to 250 liters of water. And if the summer is hot and dry, this volume increases. To saturate the soil with oxygen, it must be periodically loosened to a depth of no more than three centimeters.
To fertilize dwarf birch, various organic fertilizers are used, as well as ammonium nitrate.
This crop is quite sensitive to various pests, although not susceptible to severe climatic conditions. You should be wary of:
To prevent insect attacks, the plant is treated with fungicidal and insecticidal solutions once or twice a year.
One of the most dangerous pests for birch - silkworm.
In Siberia, Yakutia and other northern countries, the dwarf birch is perhaps the only green tree. Young shoots of this plant are used as feed for livestock. Local residents use larger and thicker branches to light stoves.
This shrub is cultivated mainly for decorative purposes. This tree will be a great addition to landscape composition, will decorate any personal plot or a city park, rock garden or alpine slide. Birch harmonizes beautifully with short trees coniferous trees and bushes.
