The birch and its seeds - recognize and use correctly

The birch and its seeds - recognize and use correctly

This is what the seeds of the birch look like

The seeds of the birch are ingeniously protected and prepared for distribution in small, winged nut fruits that are only up to three millimeters long. Thanks to the tiny wings, the brownish nuts can be transported over long distances by the force of the wind. As pioneering plants, birch trees depend on rapid and efficient reproduction in the wild: This is why the seeds germinate after about fourteen days.

also read

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  • Propagate birch - three ways to get your own birch

When can the seeds be found?

If you want to discover and recognize birch seeds, you have ample opportunity to do so in autumn and winter. Because during this time the wingnuts stop at nothing. In advance, they ripened in the period from July to October, well protected in the typical hanging fruit stands of the birch. This is preceded by pollination, which is also initiated by the wind. Between March and May, the intensely released pollen fertilizes the young birch catkins. Pollen allergy sufferers use their symptoms to tell exactly when the birch starts to blossom.

Pulling birch from seeds

Unlike many other valuable components of the picturesque trees - such as the birch leaves or birch buds - their seeds are not necessarily suitable for consumption or for cosmetic purposes. However, you can use birch seeds that you have collected or bought yourself to grow a birch tree yourself. A new tree can be brought to life in a very uncomplicated manner with a professional approach and few tools. This approach is also the ideal start for lovers of expressive bonsai birch trees to accompany their own little tree from an early age. It works like this:

  1. Put potting soil in a small pot or bowl.
  2. At the bottom of the jar, you can put some small stones or a grid for better drainage (drainage of excess water).
  3. Then add the birch seeds loosely.
  4. Then cover the seeds with a layer of soil about two to three centimeters high.
  5. Now position your breeding pot in the brightest possible place.
  6. Birch trees need a lot of light, but direct sunlight should be avoided. It could burn the tender leaves and allow the substrate to dry out prematurely.
  7. Keep the substrate constantly moist, but not wet.
  8. Now wait two to four weeks while the seeds start to germinate.
  9. Once the sprouting seedlings are at least six to eight inches tall, you can transplant the tiny birch trees into nutrient-rich soil and watch them thrive.