As autumn slowly approaches, our neighbourhoods are filled with golden red colours where deciduous trees are starting to change hue in preparation for winter.

A beautiful example is the Betula pendula.  The autumn colour of the leaves is golden-yellow, which is in striking contrast to the silvery-white bark of the tree.  This exotic generally grows to a height of +- 8 m with a spread of approximately 5 m.  The Silver birch has a slender trunk and produces a crown of arched branches with pendulous twigs.  The foliage consists of long, tri-angular shaped leaves that are coarsely serrated and a bright green colour during spring and summer.

The bark of the tree is distinctive, green when young and maturing to a silvery pale colour with a scale like texture.  Yellow flowers in the form of catkins are produced during early spring.  The blooms are wind-pollinated and are followed by small, winged seeds during late summer.

The long-lived Betula pendula is a good choice for medium-sized gardens and is frost tolerant.  It is a decorative tree that will add aesthetic value to the garden during all four seasons.