Monarch Birch Flower

Did you know

• It is the largest birch species in the world, with trunks exceeding 1 meter in diameter in old-growth Japanese forests.
• The heart-shaped leaves are the largest of any birch — up to 15 cm wide, dwarfing other birch species.
• Named after Carl Maximowicz, the Russian botanist who first described it from Hokkaido in the 1880s.
• Its bark transitions from cherry-like reddish-brown when young to grayish-white and peeling in maturity.
• The pendulous male catkins release clouds of wind-borne pollen in spring, while the smaller female catkins mature into papery-winged seeds.

Color meanings

Uses

• specimen tree
• parks and large gardens
• timber (in Japan)
• autumn foliage display