Himalayan Birch Wakehurst Place Chocolate

A rare and beautiful form of the West Himalayan birch, Betula utilis Wakehurst Place Chocolate was bred at Wakehurst Place in Sussex, a botanical garden managed by Kew. Wakehurst Place Chocolate is a vigorous, medium-sized, deciduous tree with a slender habit, named for its gorgeous, dark chocolate-brown, peeling bark. Bark colour develops fully after 2-4 years. Mid-green, triangular leaves contrast particularly well with the bark.  Lovely planted as a multi-stemmed tree, when growth will be less vigorous. Also good planted to contrast with white-stemmed birches of similar habit, or with the sun behind it.

Site: Tolerates exposure
Soil: Any reasonably well-drained soil
Position: Full sun or partial shade
Season of Interest: Spring, summer, autumn, winter
Hardiness: Fully hardy
Height: 50ft (15m)  Spread: 32ft (10m)