Birch trees are among the plants with a real pioneering spirit: In no time at all, the hardy trees colonize barren fallow land. Even in inhospitable conditions, the life artists with the delicate shape manage to thrive. Their special way of distribution makes it possible. The fruit of the birch plays a decisive role in this. What does it look like and is it maybe even edible?

From the age of 5 years, birches bear fruit

reproduction of the birch

Depending on the location and the given climatic conditions in the respective year, the birch blossoms between March and May. Male and female catkins, that is, the flowers of the birch, are on the same tree. That means birches are monoecious with unisexual flowers. The fruits then emerge from them.

Pollination and dispersal by wind

While the male catkins are already formed in the autumn months of the previous year and then hibernate, the female flowers only awaken very fresh at the ends of new leafy young shoots. The catkins are pollinated exclusively by the wind. The birch family is not capable of vegetative propagation or budding.

The seeds of the birch

The infructescences are either upright or loosely hanging and have thickened, slightly leathery scales. When releasing the winged nuts, also known as samara, the scales fall off individually. So that the seeds of the birch can spread over long distances with the help of the wind, they are in tiny nuts that are equipped with delicate little wings. These wing nuts are the fruit of the birch tree. Since the pioneer plants in nature have to be fast and efficient, the seeds germinate after just two to three weeks. The extremely light and airworthy fruits ensure this rapid generative propagation.

Birch fruit season

Birch trees can bear fruit when they are only five years old. Birch trees draw on plenty: they produce around 450 fruits per single catkin alone. These ripen in midsummer, only to be scattered in autumn and winter. They germinate the following spring.

The fruit of the birch

The birch fruit ripens from July to October. The extremely thin-skinned winged nuts are only up to three millimeters long. Thanks to this tiny and lightweight design, they are optimally designed for propagation through the wind.

Planting your own birch by fruit

The peculiar distribution path of the birch suggests that the trees can also be easily seeded by oneself. In fact, if you want to grow your own birch in your garden, you can do without buying ready-made seedlings from the nursery. Instead, it is possible to collect birch seeds yourself in the right season - alternatively you can of course also buy them. If you sow the seeds properly, it's easy to start a tree from the start. This procedure is ideal, especially for lovers of decorative bonsai plant artworks. Because it is in your hands to grow the tree as you wish.

Proceed as follows when sowing the seeds:

  1. Fill small bowls or pots with potting soil.
  2. Then add the birch seeds.
  3. Then cover the seeds about one to two centimeters deep with soil.
  4. Then place your breeding pots in a location that is as bright as possible.
  5. However, avoid excessive direct sunlight.
  6. Wait about two to four weeks while steadily keeping the substrate slightly moist - but not wet.
  7. Within this time the seeds will germinate.
  8. As soon as the seedlings have reached a height of about 15 to 20 centimetres, you can finally transplant them into a more nutrient-rich substrate.

Are the fruits suitable for consumption?

The fruits are of no greater importance for consumption or the diverse healing ingredients of the birch. However, if you like, you can brew the small winged nuts into a soothing tea. For the tea infusion you should mainly use the young fruits. However, the following edible parts of the tree are more suitable for further processing:

  • the leaves with high amounts of flavonoids, saponins, tannins and vitamin C
  • the bark with the active ingredient betuloside and betulin
  • the buds of the birch with their oils
  • the sap of the trunk is used cosmetically, for example as a hair tonic or for skin care

Category:

Trees