The erect catkins are female and the pendant ones male. There are distinguishing features in the leaves to separate this tree from B. pendula but the dense covering of hairs on the twigs compared with the glabrous ones on nearby Betula pendula trees indicated that this one was Downy Birch. The bark of this tree is much browner than B. pendula (Silver Birch).

This tree is very common throughout the British Isles.

Southport Dunes 28th April 2006

Added on 2nd May 2006, updated 3rd November 2008, updated 5th March 2010, updated 6th December 2012