"Natural Healing with Herbs for a Healthier You"
Birch trees are not excessively picky about the conditions of their habitat. The species as a whole accepts a wide variety of conditions in their surroundings. In North America Betula spp. exist from the tree line of the arctic to the subalpine forests of the west to the forests that encroach on the Great Plains to the coniferous, deciduous and mixed forests of the Northeast and the states surrounding the Great Lakes. Worldwide trees from the Genus Betula exist throughout the entire 360-degree radius of the northern latitudes of the Earth.
Birch will grow in almost any soil type and any topographic situation. One can find it on mountain slopes, open slopes, rock slides, on the boarder of a peat bog and in swamps, however it grows best in deep, well-drained, sandy or silty soils, which are common in glacial deposits
It can be found most abundantly on rolling upland terrain and alluvial soils.
Birch trees can be found in pure stands in places that are recovering from fire or clear cuts. They are in-tollerant to shade, so the openness of a burned area or a clear-cut area is inviting to Birch. Birch seedlings do not thrive in the shade, even the shade of their own parent tree. It is common to find shade tolerant hardwoods or conifers growing beneath the birch. Because of this and because Birch trees tend to live for only 75 to 125 years, a pure stand of Birch trees may be replaced after just one generation with the shade tolerant conifers or hardwoods. Beaked Hazel (Corylus cornuta) thrives under Birch and therefore sometimes replaces a stand of Birch as well.
