Betula pendula 'PURPUREA'

Purpurea is a red-leaved variety of European silver birch found in France in 1872. The species is named pendula which might make us believe it should be weeping but it is not. It refers to thin young branches which are so lightweight that they weep but only until the following year when they harden straighten up. The framework is always upright with a strong leader and forms a narrowly pyramidal tree. It commonly grows about 4-5 meters tall in gardens and twice as much in parks and arboretums where it has more space for roots.

Purpurea birch is valued for its diamond-shaped to triangle-shaped leaves which emerge bright maroon with coppery hues and mature to dark maroon-brown in summer. During the hottest weeks they may turn dark green with maroon hues only. The bark is light grey with occasional purple red highlights.

Birch loves moisture but is widely adaptable and will grow in almost any soil. It will even tolerate spells of drought once established and copes will with exposed locations. It only detests roadsalt. Fully hardy to min. -45 °C (USDA zone 2).

Last update 10-01-2009; 19-01-2021