As inconspicuous as they may look, the seeds of the birch achieve an impressive performance every year. The winged birch seeds literally colonize barren fallow land in no time at all. As a result, the tree with its delicate shape becomes a robust pioneer plant that withstands even the most inhospitable conditions and vigorously promotes propagation.

Birch seeds are inconspicuously small and hide in the catkins

This is what the seeds of the birch look like

The seeds of the birch are cleverly protected and prepared for dispersal in small, winged nuts that are only up to three millimeters long. Thanks to their tiny wings, the brownish nuts can be transported over long distances by the force of the wind. As pioneer plants, birch trees depend on rapid and efficient propagation in the wild: That is why the seeds germinate after about fourteen days.

When can the seeds be found?

If you want to discover and recognize birch seeds, you will have ample opportunity to do so in autumn and winter. Because during this time the wing nuts stop at almost nothing. Beforehand they ripened well protected in the typical hanging infructescence of the birch in the period from July to October. This is preceded by pollination, which is also initiated by the wind. Between March and May, the intensively released pollen fertilizes the young catkins of the birch. Pollen allergy sufferers can tell from their symptoms exactly when the birch tree starts flowering.

Grow birch from seed

Unlike many other valuable components of the picturesque trees - such as birch leaves or birch buds - their seeds are not necessarily suitable for consumption or to derive any cosmetic benefit from them. However, you can use birch seeds you have collected or purchased to grow a birch yourself. With a professional approach and a few tools, a new tree can be brought into being in a very uncomplicated manner. This procedure is also the ideal start for lovers of an expressive bonsai birch to accompany their own tree from an early age. This works like this:

  1. Fill a small pot or bowl with potting soil.
  2. At the bottom of the vessel, for better drainage (drainage of excess water), you can lay out a few small stones or a grid.
  3. Then loosely add the seeds of the birch.
  4. Then cover the seeds with a layer of soil about two to three centimeters high.
  5. Now position your breeding pot in as bright a place as possible.
  6. Birch trees need a lot of light, but direct sunlight should be avoided. It could burn the tender leaves and prematurely dry out the substrate.
  7. Keep the substrate constantly moist but not wet.
  8. Now wait two to four weeks while the seeds start to germinate.
  9. As soon as the sprouting seedlings have grown at least 15 to 20 centimeters high, you can transplant the small birches into nutrient-rich soil and watch them thrive.

Category:

Trees