The elegant silver birch rises to 25 m with a slender, drooping outline and striking white bark that peels to reveal fresh layers. Diamond‑shaped leaves flutter in the breeze, turning clear butter‑yellow in autumn. Early‑spring catkins supply pollen for insects, and the fine root system excels at stabilising light soils. Tough and fast‑growing, it tolerates wind, cold to −40 °C and poor, acidic ground, making it a superb choice for wildlife gardens, birch groves or as a specimen casting dappled shade.