Soft birch

The silver birch (Betula pubescens) belongs to the birch family. The most common is the rough birch. At the base, the bark is white. The bark has fewer grooves than the rough birch. The leaves are three to six centimeters long, oval to diamond-shaped, pointed, and soft-haired on the underside. The wood is soft and rots easily. Sometimes, the wood of a dead birch is already rotted away while the bark is still present.

The sap of the birch was used as a blood-cleansing and hair growth remedy. It contains a lot of sugars. By adding honey, you can make birch wine from it. Sometimes, tea is made from the leaves. It acts as a diuretic and is said to help with sweaty feet.

Agentschap voor Natuur en Bos