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Tree comparisons
 Silver Birch |  Betula utilis jacquemontii | Paul's Scarlet |  Laura | Snow Queen | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Common Silver Birch, native to Europe, popular for its peeling white bark and pendulous branches. | The Himalayan White Birch, one of the most popular white birches with characteristic bright white bark. | A popular small hawthorn with distinctive dark pink blossom with white centres. | Malus Laura is a very upright dwarf crab-apple, with bronze leaves, crimson blossom and maroon fruitlets. | An attractive tree, and one of the best forms of the Himalayan birch, with a bright white stem. | |
| remove | remove | remove | remove | remove |
Growing
| Birch Silver Birch | Birch Betula utilis jacquemontii | Hawthorn Paul's Scarlet | Crab-apple trees Laura | Birch Snow Queen | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attractive features | Attractive bark Autumn foliage colour | Attractive bark Autumn foliage colour | Attractive flowers Attractive fruit | Attractive bark Autumn foliage colour | |
| Height 10 years | 5m-8m / 16ft-25ft | 5m-8m / 16ft-25ft | 2.5m-3.5m / 8ft-12ft | 3m-5m / 10ft-16ft | |
| Growth habit | Upright-spreading | Upright-spreading | Upright-spreading | Columnar / Fastigiate | Upright-spreading |
| Growth rate | Fast | Fast | |||
| Vigour | Average vigour | Vigorous | Natural dwarf | Average vigour | |
| Site conditions | Occasional flooding Occasional drought | Occasional flooding Occasional drought | Coastal site Occasional flooding | Occasional flooding Occasional drought | |
| Sunlight | Prefers full sun | Prefers full sun | Tolerates shade Prefers full sun | Prefers full sun Some shade | |
| Useful for | Open spaces Specimen planting | Open spaces Street / amenity Specimen planting | |||
| Blossom duration | Average (2-3 weeks) | ||||
| Hardiness rating (RHS) | H6 (to -20C) | H6 (to -20C) | |||
| Pruning | Do not prune | Do not prune | Light prune | Do not prune | |
| Self-fertility | Self-fertile | ||||
| Disease resistance | Average | Average | |||
| Gardening skill | Beginner | Beginner | Beginner | Beginner |
Identification
| Birch Silver Birch | Birch Betula utilis jacquemontii | Hawthorn Paul's Scarlet | Crab-apple trees Laura | Birch Snow Queen | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country of origin | United Kingdom | United Kingdom | |||
| Flowering month | May | May | |||
| Flower colour | Pink - dark | Crimson | |||
| Flower form | Double flower (25-50 petals) | ||||
| Leaf colour | Green | Green | Green | Green | Green |
| Leaf colour - young | Light copper | ||||
| Leaf colour - autumn | Yellow | Yellow | Green | Yellow | |
| Fruit colour | Red | ||||
| Fruit size | Small | ||||
| Annual cycle | Deciduous | Deciduous | Deciduous | Deciduous | |
| Awards | RHS Award of Garden Merit | RHS Award of Garden Merit | RHS Award of Garden Merit | ||
| Bark | White | White | White |
Using
| Birch Silver Birch | Birch Betula utilis jacquemontii | Hawthorn Paul's Scarlet | Crab-apple trees Laura | Birch Snow Queen | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildlife | Attractive to birds | RHS perfect for pollinators | |||
| Food uses | Jam / Jelly |