If you know of any good websites then please post them. Silver birch (Betula pendula) Silver birch stands out with its distinctive silvery-white peeling bark. How to grow. Find help & information on Betula pendula silver birch from the RHS. It's also for my geography homework. Look out for the catkins from spring to autumn. The Silver Birch has excellent cold-hardiness and grows in most soils as long as they are not too alkaline. I need to find out how long the average silver birch tree takes to grow for part of my geography homework. History. Silver Birch characteristics. pendula. Silver Birch Botanical Description: Silver Birch Trees are fast growing, attractive trees. It has triangular-shaped leaves on elegant sweeping branches. It is easy to grow in most situations, but does best in full sun. They turn yellow then golden in autumn, bringing striking colour to your garden. The Silver Birch is sometimes placed in the species Betula alba var. Silver Birch Trees Facts and Information. Their trunks are pale in colour with black notches that create deep, diamond shaped fissures along the white bark. Find ... Genus Betula can be deciduous trees or shrubs, usually colouring well in autumn and often with striking white, pink, ... Cultivation Will grow in a wide range of situations. Thanks, BTW, does anyone know of any websites about damage rock climbers do to the Lake District?