OK this is going to sound like a really stupid question but......... when do silver birches get their silvery, white bark? I was given two birch trees a couple of years ago (I think they were about 2 years old when I got them) and they've ben in the garden for over a year with no signs of the bark being anything but reddy brown. They are certainly growing and healthy so I'm not complaining but I want to have a couple of silver birches as a colour contrast. Am I just being impatient? Thanks.
eileen, i found this on another site: It didn't say how long this takes though. I would say just hold tight and it will change with time. If I come across the answer I will post it here
Trees and shrubs. Thanks for taking the trouble to help me out Frank. I couldn't find anything on the net which said how old they had to be either before the bark changed. Knew I was just being my usual impatient self.
I've racked up over 50 messages already and I've only been here a couple of days!!!! Always knew I was a bit of a 'blether.' (Scottish word for chatterbox )
Thought ye all might find this funny, recently I visited a lady out the countryside to give here some advice on a shady back garden. When I rang the door bell her son answered, led me through the house and out to the back garden where the lady was hard at work on a tree. I had to laugh when I saw a scrubbing brush in here hand and a basin of soapy water at the base of the tree, as I had come across this senario once before. She was scrubbing the bark on her silver birch to remove all the moss that had built up due to shade and unpolluted countryside air. Now that a real silver birch fan
Must remember only to wash my birches when no-one else is around then. LOL My neighbour scrubs her windowsills with a nail brush every spring -even if there's a blizzard blowing!!!! It takes all kinds to make a world.
