Betula Pendula (Silver Birch)

Question 1

How do you recognise Silver Birch?

Answer 1

• Mid-sized trees (up to 25m tall) with slender trucks (up to 40cm) and serrated simple leaves.
• Monoecious – flowers are catkins. Bark on young trees smooth and white, darker and furrowed on older trees.
• Native to Europe and Asia. Two species in UK including Downy Birch, the branches on Silver or Pendula hangs down more however.
• Birch bark has been used for writing upon and to build canoes. Betula means ‘the bark that can be written upon’ - in reality only on the young tree bark.

Question 2

What are Silver Birch’s main constituents?

Answer 2

Constituents:
* Flavonoids (in leaf) – which are diuretic, and some with anti-tumouraction (in buds)
* Essential oil – including methyl salicylates in the buds and bark – anti-inflammatory & analgesic
* Tannins (in bark)
* Resins.
* Triterpenes – betulin & betulinic acid – these have antiinflammatory and anti-cancer properties. Birch polypore mushrooms concentrate these chemicals which is why they’re also useful.
* Vitamin C

Question 3

What family is Silver Birch ?

Answer 3

Family: Betulaceae

Question 4

What is Silver Birch good for?

Answer 4

Summary: Bendle mainly uses to aid the clearance of metobolic waste, a blood cleanser or alterative - he uses it for inflammation in joints, arthritis or gout for example.

Actions:
* Diuretic
* Diaphoretic – leaf, used in fevers.
* Anti-inflammatory.
* Analgesic/ anodyne - painkilling
* Anti-spasmodic.
* Astringent – bark.
* Anti-lithic?
* Anti-microbial.
* Laxative.
* Anti-tumour - needs more research, as Birch mushrooms may be more useful.

Applications:
* Arthritis.
* Gout.
* Inflammatory skin conditions.
* Infections of urinary tract & kidneys.
* Fever.
* Oedema from heart failure (leaf).
* Sometimes used as a hair tonic.
* People have also used the bark for shingles (damp side down), and apparently you get whipped with branches of this in a Russian sauna..

Question 5

What is Silver Birch’s Latin name?

Answer 5

Betula pedula

Question 6

What parts of Silver Birch do you use?

Answer 6

Parts used: buds, leaves & bark. Sap has also been used

Question 7

What safety issues might Silver Birch have?

Answer 7

Generally safe herb – avoid in people with known salicylate sensitivity

Question 8

What useful research does Silver Birch have?

Answer 8

External links:
* Santin and cirsimaritin from Betula pubescens and Betulapendula buds induce apoptosis in human digestive systemcancer cells – some interesting info – no need to read whole article.
* Betula pendula, Betula pubescens and other birches in Europe: distribution, habitat, usage and threats
* Medicinal plants of the genus Betula—Traditional uses and a phytochemical–pharmacological reviewfrom 2015 – rather encyclopaedic and overwhelming!

Question 9

What remedies might you use Silver Birch in?

Answer 9

• Dose: 20-50ml/week 1:3 tincture.
• Bendle buys (probably sweet birch) essential oil which he puts in with juniper, black pepper, rosemary for his comfrey extra cream (a base of comfrey) for aching painful joints and sometimes muscles.
• Gout mixture - has used in a prescription using Silver Birch, Apium (Celery), Urtica (Stinging Nettle leaf) - sometimes also Turmeric.