Betula Albosinensis (Chinese Red Birch) Fascination

He was very taken with it, describing it as follows:

The bark is singularly lovely, being a rich orange-red or orange-brown and peels off in sheets, each no thicker than fine tissue paper, and each successive layer is clothed with a white glaucous bloom

Further to this the catkins in the spring are amazing, up to 10cm in length, opening to a rich yellow-brown and so numerous my kids call it the ‘caterpillar tree’.

Fascination is a refined clone with dark green leaves, which are large for a birch, appearing in April, along with the showy display of yellow catkins.

It has outstanding stem colour – orange, peeling to pink and cream and then purest white once the tree gets beyond 30cm girth.

It is a medium sized tree, becoming oval as it matures, has stiffly ascending branches and the one outside my kitchen window, now over 50cm girth, is a constant joy and often commented on.

A great choice for parks and verges growing well on most soils.

It is listed by a few as B. utilis Fascination but we put it firmly classified in the albosinensis group.

Mature height: 10-15m