Unbelievable Silver Birch growth rate.

I planted a 60cm silver birch sapling in my garden in February. I bought it from the woodland trust who say that it should grow about 40cm per year. Most other sources agree that this is the expected rate.

It's now 19th August and the tree is almost 2 metres tall and about 1.3 metres wide. And it's still growing! I'm not complaining - It's beautiful - but I wasn't expecting it.

Is this normal? I have been watering it during dry spells but nothing else. I'm in the North of England.

 

My dad loved the silver birch tree its the national tree of finland
silver birch tree is a fast growing tree so its normal it can grow up to 60cm in the first year they like constantly moist soil my dad watered it often and pruned it occasionally It's one of the shortest-lived native trees only living between 40-60 yearsand within 10 years could reach 15 to 20 ft it will be fine
it if i had room in my garden i would a silverbirch but got an huge oak tree at the back of my fence although its beautiful especially in the summer it can be a real pain in Autumn

 

I read an interesting fact about birch trees some time ago. I say it was a fact, it might not have been, I only read it from one source.

Apparently they fall into a broad category of 'pioneer' trees. That is trees that can grow very quickly in a wide range of soil types that are often unfavorable to other trees. Through their relatively short life they add structure to the soil directly, through their roots and falling leaves, and indirectly by draining excess moisture and providing shade for shade loving woodland plants. Over the years the soil improves, and birds visiting the trees bring other seeds with them, this paving the way for other species to get a foothold.

 

You're right @clueless1 v2, they are amongst the first trees to take over a cleared area and pave the way for more long lived woodland.
It rarely happens these days as someone usually builds a block of flats before that can happen.

 

I've been to this spot many times but never really took much notice before because this is just the car park (yes, a woodland car park), but this conversation must have been on the back of my mind because look what I noticed.

 

What, what are we looking for?

 

Piece of useless information of the day

Birch is indeed the sacred tree of Finns, it symbolises the union of life and death with the roots deep in the bowels of the earth and the top in heavens. Birch has many valuable uses, the sap can be made into a very healthy drink (goes well with vodka), the leaves boiled into a tea and the logs give the best, hottest fire (which is rather nice when the temperatures drop below -30).

The soft bark is easy to pull off in long strips that burn with intense light, the strips were used for illumination or made into drinking cups. They make the best kindling there is.

Before midsummer, young twigs with soft leaves are picked and bunched up to be used as a bath broom (vihta) in sauna. Even nowadays you can buy dried ones in supermarket and many people have home made ones in their freezer for year around use.

 

Maybe I'm wrong, but isn't that a whole wood of predominantly birch trees?

 

Oh yeah, I could see something in the background but couldn't work out what it was.