Downy Birch tree (Betula pubescens) in a pot
Price range: £22.00 through £90.00
Size options
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- 30-60cm tall tree in a 2 litre pot
- 60-90cm tall tree in a 2 litre pot
- 1.8m-2m tall tree in a 10 litre pot
- 2m-2.5m tall tree in a 10-30 litre pot
Home delivery between:
- Description
- Why buy from us?
- Delivery
- Additional information
Description
Downy Birch (Betula pubescens)
A graceful native birch with soft downy shoots and pale bark — perfect for damp or heavier soils, naturalistic planting and wildlife‑rich landscapes.
Downy Birch is a beautiful UK native tree closely related to Silver Birch, but better suited to wetter or heavier soils. It features soft, downy young shoots, rounded leaves and pale bark that becomes increasingly white with age. Its light, airy canopy and excellent wildlife value make it ideal for naturalistic planting, meadows, woodland edges and damp ground.Perfect For
- Damp or heavier soils
- Wildlife‑friendly planting
- Naturalistic and woodland schemes
- Meadows and larger gardens
Why Choose Downy Birch?
- Thrives in wetter ground where other birches may struggle
- Soft, downy young shoots and rounded leaves
- Pale bark that brightens as the tree matures
- Excellent wildlife value — supports insects, birds and fungi
Final Height & Spread
- Height: 12–18m at maturity
- Spread: 4–8m
- Light, open canopy — ideal for naturalistic planting
Growth Rate
- Fast — typically 40–60cm per year
- Establishes well in damp, acidic or heavier soils
Wildlife Benefits
- Catkins provide early pollen for bees
- Leaves support hundreds of insect species
- Seeds feed finches and other small birds
- Safety note: Downy Birch is non‑toxic to humans and pets.
Why Buy From Cotswold Trees?
- 5‑star rated independent nursery
- UK‑grown trees
- 100% peat‑free from seed to sale
- Personal service with delivery via our own electric vanor tracked courier for smaller trees
- Grown with care by a small, expert team
- Full planting instructions included with every tree
- Plant passport supplied with every order
Downy Birch FAQs
How big does a Downy Birch get?
Downy Birch typically reaches 12–18m tall with a 4–8m spread, forming a light, open crown.
Is Downy Birch suitable for small gardens?
It is best suited to medium or larger gardens due to its eventual height.
How fast does Downy Birch grow?
Fast growth, around 40–60cm per year once established.
Does Downy Birch need special soil?
It thrives in damp, acidic or heavier soils and is more tolerant of wet ground than Silver Birch.
Is Downy Birch toxic?
No — Downy Birch is non‑toxic to humans and pets.
Is Downy Birch good for wildlife?
Yes — like Silver Birch, it supports a wide range of insects, birds and fungi.
You may have some doubts about the idea of buying trees online. Let us explain how Cotswold Trees make every effort to meet your needs and the highest quality standards:
Customer focused
We're a small company, with a focus on customer satisfaction and treat every customer order with care and attention it deserves. Our customers often share their positive experience with us.
Careful delivery
Buy a small tree online and your courier delivered trees are tracked and 100% guaranteed. If your tree is lost or damaged in transit we will send another.
To ensure the larger specimen trees reach you in the best possible condition, we hand deliver these ourselves, within the Cotswolds, Midlands and central southern England and we’re thrilled to announce that all large tree deliveries will now be made using our new zero-emissions van. 🌱🚛
Highest quality
Cotswold Trees individually select, nurture, prune and protect you tree over its early life. We always strive to send our customers only the most healthy and high quality specimens. We also work to industry recognised plant health standards and we are a DEFRA registered issuer of plant passports.
Thriving tree guarantee
Your small tree (up to 90cm tall at time of delivery) is backed by our thriving tree guarantee - If your tree is not thriving after 1 year and was planted and watered in line with our recommendations, we’ll replace it free of charge.
Sustainability
It's our ambition is to achieve the highest sustainability standards in production and delivery of our trees.
- We minimise waste in the growing stages, packaging and transport
- Since September 2021 we have moved to Peat-Free compost
- Over 50% of our irrigation is fed by a rainwater harvesting system
- Our tree irrigation and monitoring systems are powered entirely by solar power
- All large tree deliveries are via zero-emissions electric van
Read more about our sustainable approach in our annual sustainability report.
Supplying high quality trees with convenient home delivery at nursery competitive prices
Standard delivery for small trees is only £3.95 per order
Our small trees up to 1.2m are packaged carefully in special double layer cardboard boxes and delivered reliably and safely via Yodel, DPD or Parcelforce.
We ship at least twice a week to ensure you receive new trees within 5 working days and often much sooner. All courier deliveries are accompanied with tracking details. Order more, save more, as the delivery charge is per order not per tree.
Medium trees delivered from £9.95
For some of our range we offer medium sized trees between 1.2m to 1.8m tall delivered by DPD for a flat rate of £9.95 each. As with the smaller trees these are packaged in custom boxes to protect your tree in transit. Most tree orders of this size are dispatched within 5 working days.
Delivering larger trees across the Midlands & the Cotswolds
For trees taller than 1.8m, we offer a reasonably priced delivery service across the Midlands and the Cotswolds. Cotswold Trees are able to bring your chosen trees directly to you at home, often within 2 weeks of ordering using our new zero-emissions electric van.
Our closest delivery zones will see deliveries as quickly as 7-14 days, with outer zones sometimes requiring a longer lead time. Of course, when you place an order, we will communicate with you individually to confirm our next delivery dates.
Additional information
| Weight | 1.2 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 100 × 20 × 20 cm |
| Size | 2m-2.5m tall + Local delivery charge, 30-60cm tall, 60-90cm tall, 1.8m-2m tall + local delivery charge |
| Garden size | Small space, Moderate space, Large space |
Customer Reviews
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