Betula albosinensis 'Fascination' 12ltr pot

Betula albosinensis 'Fascination' — 12ltr Pot

Holder of the RHS Award of Garden Merit, Betula 'Fascination' — the Chinese red-barked birch — is grown chiefly for its exceptional bark, which shines a deep copper-orange when young before slowly peeling to reveal striated shades of pink, cream and white beneath. Dark green, ovate leaves, larger than most other red-barked birches, turn a clear yellow in autumn, while yellow-brown catkins up to 10cm long — among the longest of any birch — open in spring and are a valuable early food source for wildlife.

A vigorous, medium-sized deciduous tree with an open, pyramidal crown and stiffly ascending branches, 'Fascination' is beautiful as a single specimen but especially effective planted in small groups, where the interplay of colourful stems really comes into its own.

Grow in full sun or partial shade, in any reasonably fertile, moist but well-drained soil — this variety is tolerant of chalk, clay, loam and sand, and copes well with exposure. It's fully hardy and needs only minimal pruning once established, best carried out between late summer and midwinter to avoid heavy sap "bleeding."

Each tree is hand-selected before dispatch, supplied in a 12-litre pot ready for planting straight into its final position.