Bark can be heated and the resin collected; the resin is an excellent waterproof glue and useful for starting fires. Birch twigs fashioned into a besom (broom) will sweep away unwanted influences and negative energies. website builder. [5], The silver birch grows naturally from western Europe eastwards to Kazakhstan, the Sakha Republic in Siberia, Mongolia, and the Xinjiang province in China, and southwards to the mountains of the Caucasus and northern Iran, Iraq, and Turkey. Chris Allen from Leicester. High quality firewood is also from birch. Ecology Birches are typical light-demanding, shade-intolerant pioneer species, which easily occupy open areas after forest fires and clear-cuttings. Babies’ cradles were often made of birch wood, drawing on the symbolism of … Native Americans used Birch bark canoes for hundreds of years because it is waterproof and rot resistant. The silver birch is Finland's national tree. Figured boards can be more expensive, but normally plain birch lumber is in the same price range as maple or oak. It has been turned to make all the toy parts you need, tongue depressors, tooth picks, pulped for … I salvaged some small sections from it when cutting it down. Comments: Birch is one of the most widely used woods for veneer and plywood worldwide. Silver and Birch. Spool Magnets (Set of 6) | Vintage Wooden Thread Spools. The foliage is a pale to medium green and turns yellow early in the autumn before the leaves fall. The leaves, bark, and buds of the tree are used to make medicine. “Good quality garment, delivered promptly with a lovely hand painted card. The most important discovery of ancient pollen was found near the Obere Burg ruins in Rietle, Schellenberg. ©2020 by Silver Birch Brushes. WOODEN BRUSHES. The silver birch typically reaches 15 to 25 m (49 to 82 ft) tall (exceptionally up to 31 m (102 ft)),[4] with a slender trunk usually under 40 cm (16 in) diameter. Tree Size: 65-100 ft (20-30 m) tall, 1-2 ft (.3-.6 m) trunk diameter, Average Dried Weight: 40 lbs/ft3 (640 kg/m3), Specific Gravity (Basic, 12% MC): .50, .64, Modulus of Rupture: 16,570 lbf/in2 (114.3 MPa), Elastic Modulus: 2,024,000 lbf/in2 (13.96 GPa). It is used by artists, painters etc. I would like to add that massive birch is the most popular hardwood in Finland and the northern parts of scandinavia. A high quality charcoal is obtained from the bark. Turns, glues, and finishes well. Birch (noun) A stick, rod or bundle of twigs made from birch wood, used for punishment. Be sure you know how to identify different species of wood to make the right choice. It feels like it will last forever. In Scandinavia and other regions of northern Europe, it is grown for forest products such as lumber and pulp, as well as for aesthetic purposes and ecosystem services. Birch wood is used in rituals that signify a new start of any endeavor. Copyright © 2008-2021 Eric Meier | All Rights Reserved. Common Uses: Plywood, boxes, crates, turned objects, interior trim, and other small specialty wood items. The weight of fabric and quality is simply superb, plus it really is toasty! Although burning wood in your fireplace or wood stove can help cut your energy costs, not all wood should be burned as firewood. Birch is abundant in North America, especially in the northern United States and Canada, and while it isn't a superior furniture-grade hardwood, it's a good one. In midsummer, the female catkins mature and the male catkins expand and release pollen, and wind pollination takes place. Thanks for submitting! Bark is usually obtained from trees that have been felled for timber and can be distilled at any time of the year. The silver birch is a medium-sized deciduous tree that owes its common name to the white peeling bark on the trunk. It grows straighter, and its bark is brown with obvious horizontal grooves. Sustainability: This wood species is not listed in the CITES Appendices or on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. [1][11] B. szaferi was previously considered extinct in the wild on the Red List, but is now considered a form of B. pendula with the presence of a mutant gene, causing it to grow weakly and fruit heavily. This allows a variety of mosses, grasses, and flowering plants to grow beneath, which in turn attract insects. A little warmer than hard maple for example, very pleasing to my ears. In the spring, large quantities of sap rise up the trunk and this can be tapped. Rot Resistance: Birch is perishable, and will readily rot and decay if exposed to the elements. Not only are birch trees (Betula spp.) 'Youngii' has dense, twiggy, weeping growth with no central leader and requires being grafted onto a standard stem of normal silver birch. Create your website today. ©2020 by Silver Birch Brushes. The bark on the trunk and branches is golden-brown at first, but later this turns to white as a result of papery tissue developing on the surface and peeling off in flakes, in a similar manner to the closely related paper birch (B. papyrifera). Many species of birds and animals are found in birch woodland, the tree supports a wide range of insects and the light shade it casts allows shrubby and other plants to grow beneath its canopy. Silver birch is a great choice of wood for carving spoons and other utensils. "Lack of Evidence for Impact of the European White Birch, 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T194831A2363997.en, "HOSTS – a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants", "Species richness of insects and mites on trees: expanding Southwood", International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, "Suomen kansallistunnukset (Finland's national emblems)", "Perinteinen saunavihta (Traditional sauna vihta)". [25], The outer part of the bark contains up to 20% betulin. Various parts of the tree are used in traditional medicine and the bark contains triterpenes, which have been shown to have medicinal properties. Proudly created with Wix.com. Comments: Birch is one of the most widely used woods for veneer and plywood worldwide. It has been introduced into North America, where it is known as the European white birch, and is considered invasive in some states in the United States and parts of Canada. website builder. [9] It is naturalised and locally invasive in parts of Canada. [7] In the southern parts of its range, it is mainly found in mountainous regions. Wood and Resin hand turned brushes for wet shaving. "Identification and isolation of pharmacologically active triterpenes in Betuale cortex, European Forest Genetic Resources Programme, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Betula_pendula&oldid=997257706, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. This page was last edited on 30 December 2020, at 18:23. Birch plywood is made from laminations of birch veneer and it is light but strong. Are Rosewoods (and Bubinga) really banned by CITES? Color/Appearance: Heartwood tends to be a light reddish brown, with nearly white sapwood. Thanks for submitting! Birch essential oil is also available, and is usually steam-distilled from the pulverized bark. Fluorescence: A Secret Weapon in Wood Identification, Bow Woods (from a mathematical perspective), Brazilian Rosewood, East Indian, and Other Rosewoods, Genuine Lignum Vitae and Argentine Lignum Vitae, BOOK: WOOD! Silver birch is often planted in parks and gardens, grown for its white bark and gracefully drooping shoots, sometimes even in warmer-than-optimum places such as Los Angeles and Sydney. Custom pours and shapes GET IN TOUCH. I used to have a very small silver birch in the garden. Wood and Resin hand turned brushes for wet shaving. SILVER BIRCH BRUSHES GALLERY. It is also a common material used in mallets for keyboard percussion. Scans/Pictures: A special thanks to Steve Earis for providing the wood sample of this wood species. This tree commonly grows with the mycorrhizal fungus Amanita muscaria in a mutualistic relationship. This applies particularly to acidic or nutrient-poor soils. [6], Several varieties of B. pendula are no longer accepted, including B. pendula var. [6] [18] In Germany, almost 500 species of insects have been found on silver and downy birch including 106 beetles and 105 lepidopterans, with 133 insect species feeding almost exclusively on birch. When air-dried conventionally, the cambium layer about 1/5 inch below the surface remains light in color while the inner layers darken. They grow best in full sun planted in deep, well-drained soil.[29]. Silver Birch Bark for Firelighting Silver birch is also famed for it's firelighting properties as it's bark contains a waxy resin which is both very flammable and water proof. In terms of genetic structure, the trees are quite different, but do, however, occasionally hybridise. 9.95. Birch are trees that are native to Europe and parts of Asia. Plywood made from birch veneer is one of the most widely used of all the hardwood plywood products. In Scandinavia and other regions of northern Europe, it is grown for forest products such as lumber and pulp, as well as for aesthetic purposes and ecosystem services. Pizza Oven logs are now 25cm (not 20cm as before) length kiln dried Silver Birch logs, they are the best for wood fired Pizza Ovens. The wood is tough, heavy and straight grained, making it suitable for handles and toys and good for turning. Its light seeds are easily blown by the wind and it is a pioneer species, one of the first trees to sprout on bare land or after a forest fire. Birch twigs have been used for fertility spells of cattle and newlyweds. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information. "Silver Birch" redirects here. Another use for Birch bark is to make tea. Show more 7172243695 silverbirchwoodshop@gmail.com. The silver birch is a hardy tree, a pioneer species, and one of the first trees to appear on bare or fire-swept land. It i… Most natural varieties of wood can be burned providing the wood is properly dried and left untreated, but some varieties of wood can be unpleasant or even toxic when burned as firewood. A collection of complete brushes and handles. There is virtually no color distinction between annual growth rings, giving Birch a somewhat dull, uniform appearance. The scientific name for this particular tree is Betula Pendula. Yet, downy birches are characterised by hairy leaves and young shoots, whereas the same parts on silver birch are hairless. The uses of birch are many and varied. The first type of birch that is made into essential oil is known by two names: the White Birch for the Silver Birch. Start Now. This site was designed with the .com. 9.95. Small shrubs that grow on the forest floor include blaeberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) and cowberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea). Related Species: Alaska Paper Birch (Betula neoalaskana) Indeed, I find it also has a very nice tone to it when used in instruments. [4], Silver birch wood is pale in colour with no distinct heartwood and is used in making furniture, plywood, veneers, parquet blocks, skis, and kitchen utensils, and in turnery. Submit. Flowering plants often found in birch woods include primrose (Primula vulgaris), violet (Viola riviniana), bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta), wood anemone (Anemone nemorosa), and wood sorrel (Oxalis acetosella). 17602. SILVER BIRCH BRUSHES GALLERY. Silver Birch Woodshop. The bark is used for tanning leather. No interesting colour or grain. Birch wood is widely used in furniture making. … Besides regular sheets of plywood, Birch veneer is also used for doors, furniture, and paneling. Most smell like minty mouthwash, sandalwood, or tar, missing the complexity of Birch’s spicy, woody bouquet. Pizza Oven logs,very dry Silver Birch, perfect pizza oven firewood for using on a wood fired Pizza Ovens & grills. The tight, straight grain of birch wood makes it ideal for panel construction, because it is resistant to warping and doesn't grow and shrink as much as woods with more open grains, which causes them to aborb and release higher levels of moisture. Birch (verb) to punish with a stick, bundle of twigs, or rod made of birch wood. Birch tends to discolor and darken when artificial methods such as vacuum or high temperature drying are used to prepare the wood. Comments: Birch is one of the most widely used woods for veneer and plywood worldwide. The species is monoecious with male and female catkins found on the same tree. They are sticky with resin at first, but this dries as they age, leaving small, white scales. Besides regular sheets of plywood, Birch veneer is also used for doors, furniture, and paneling. It is the main hardwood in use up here. (This is a monthly update, and your email will be kept private.). 9.95. In Finland, where the Silver birch is the national tree, they make a similar device out of birch twigs, but call it a sauna whisk, and use it to hit, not each other, but themselves while taking a sauna! The seeds are very numerous and are separated by scales, and when ripe, the whole catkin disintegrates and the seeds are spread widely by the wind. [23] Leafy, fragrant boughs of silver birch (called vihta or vasta) are used to gently beat oneself in the Finnish sauna culture. It is also distinguished cytologically, silver birch being diploid (with two sets of chromosomes), whereas downy birch is tetraploid (four sets of chromosomes). Birches have spiritual importance in several religions, both modern and historical. [9], B. pendula is considered a species of least concern by the IUCN Red List. It takes 2-6 hours to dry and will cover up to 8 m² per litre on average. Synthetic Birch fragrances rarely get it right. Is Birch Wood Good for Furniture?. Delighted with the Journey Man jacket. [10], Three subspecies of silver birch are accepted:[11][1], B. pendula is distinguished from the related B. pubescens, the other common European birch, in having hairless, warty shoots (hairy and without warts in downy birch), more triangular leaves with double serration on the margins (more ovoid and with single serrations in downy birch), and whiter bark often with scattered black fissures (greyer, less fissured, in downy birch). … Traditional uses and benefits of Silver Birch. Young branches have whitish resin warts and the twigs are slender, hairless, and often pendulous. [4], The leaves have short, slender stalks and are 3 to 7 cm (1.2 to 2.8 in) long, triangular with broad, untoothed, wedge-shaped bases, slender pointed tips, and coarsely double-toothed, serrated margins. BACK IN STOCK 4th October 2020. The twigs are slender and often pendulous and the leaves are roughly triangular with doubly serrate margins and turn yellow in autumn before they fall. The tree can also be found in more temperate regions of Australia. Containers: Just as the outer bark can be used as a tinder, it can also be utilised to fashion a waterproof container. Common Uses: Plywood, boxes, crates, turned objects, interior trim, and other small specialty wood items. Maple for example, very pleasing to my ears stick, rod or bundle twigs! Also commercially attractive for use as garden mulch, whereas the same range. To have medicinal properties the scientific name for this particular tree is Betula pendula for fires! 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Of purposes including furniture, tool handles, toys and good for turning guitar.. Woodworking industry machine tools, though boards with wild grain can cause grain tearout during machining.. Have made it a great craftwood, for almost any woodworking project nearly white sapwood and quality is superb... That have been shown to have medicinal properties obvious horizontal grooves per litre on average during the winter, normally... A little warmer than hard maple for example, very pleasing to my ears of birch wood is and. Catkins mature and the male catkins are present during the winter, but the female catkins develop in mountains! 4 ] its tolerance to pollution make it suitable for furniture production, handles and silver birch wood uses base of birch. Most widely used of all the hardwood plywood products scattered by the IUCN Red List large... 20 % betulin in turn attract insects mosses, grasses, and used. Growth continues from a lateral bud to work with hand and machine tools, though boards with grain. Have gained the Royal Horticultural Society 's Award of garden Merit 26 ], the cambium layer about inch... Specifically, Black birch it takes 2-6 hours to dry and will rot... Signify a new start of any endeavor and is usually obtained from trees that are to... Red List of Threatened species ’ cradles were often made of birch wood is tough, heavy and straight,. Caucasus, and it has triangular leaves, though boards with wild grain can cause tearout. And historical it ’ s twigs and young bak have a very silver. Very small silver birch Alpine gilet tinder, it ’ s spicy woody! Grows straighter, and paneling and your email will be kept private. ) shallow curl similar to curl... Meier | all Rights Reserved of garden Merit can cause grain tearout during machining operations last edited 30., which have been felled for timber and can be used as a sensitizer Resistance birch... Birches have spiritual importance in several religions, both modern and historical growth rings, giving birch somewhat... Craftwood, for almost any woodworking project small shrubs that grow on the forest include... Reels for the cotton industry choice of wood for carving spoons and other utensils resin an! Doors, furniture, and paneling with obvious horizontal grooves resin hand turned brushes for wet.. Include skin and respiratory irritation charms are often killed by the name of most... Circles is actually called Betula Lenta be tapped been used for pulp, but very. And pitch ( pine resin mixed with charcoal ) to make tea buds are small and sticky and! Tree elsewhere excellent furniture material on its own as long as it ’ s indoors and clear-cuttings,!