Transcaucasian Birch Care

Betula medwediewii, called Transcaucasian birch, Caucasian birch or Medwediew's birch, is a species of birch which is native to Turkey, Georgia, and Iran. It is decaploid, with its closest diploid relative being Betula lenta from eastern North America. Its cultivar 'Gold Bark' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

In its natural habitat a multiple-stemmed shrub to average-sized tree. Sometimes up to 20 m high. Little used in cultivation and remaining smaller, usually growing into a sizeable shrub. The wide, almost round crown consists of stiff, upright growing branches that colour from yellow white to grey brown and mature trunks flake. Young twigs turn from brown into grey brown with striking lenticels. The buds on the thick twigs are sticky. The leaf diminishes in size as the tree matures. Sprouts late in spring but retains its leaves well into autumn. The inflorescence too, appears later than with most other birches. As the catkins of this birch are relatively big, it is often compared to an alder. Striking yellow autumn colour. Shallow rooting. Preferably a sheltered location.