"Why is it that my birch is dripping so intensely?" This question is often read in forums. Hobby gardeners are often unsure what this phenomenon is all about. Our guide gives you a precise summary of everything you need to know about dropping the birch.
If the birch is dripping, it is usually due to an injury
The "bleeding" of the birch
When sap leaks from a birch or other tree, many gardeners speak of "bleeding". This term is somewhat misleading, because neither birches nor other trees have blood - so they cannot bleed either. Nevertheless, this term has become common, probably because it is short and memorable.
In the professional world there is still no alternative term for the drop of the birch that would be coherent, uniform and really handy. That's why we use the word "bleed" when we talk about a tree losing sap. So much for the conceptual difficulties.
Why can a birch drip or bleed?
If sap leaks from the birch, then there is an injury. The cause is usually sawing off branches. Incorrect cutting and/or (too) large cuts cause serious damage to birch wood. As a result, tree sap leaks from the wounds - the birch drips. It has to be said that birch trees are bad barriers.
In addition to the human-caused injuries, there are also some natural causes for the bleeding of the birch. Mechanical damage caused by frost or wind as well as damage caused by animals (wood beetle) are also possible triggers. The same applies to pathogens such as viruses.
Is bleeding harmful to the birch?
Most experts are of the opinion that the birch does not necessarily have to be damaged if tree sap escapes after the branches have been injured. There is still no clear evidence in science, one can only be guided by practical experience.
Interesting: some studies even suggest that the flow of sap is beneficial because it helps the tree to close off injured vessels. Other researchers say the bleeding makes it harder for potentially dangerous spores to penetrate the wood. Of course, there are also doubters who believe that it can't be good if birches or other trees lose liters of nutrient-rich sap.
tips
Try to prevent dripping by pruning the birch properly - because of course it's better if it doesn't drip.