Silver Birch

Buch · February 2023

I wanted to make a multistem Birch and followed some instructions I saw on a website. I planted three bare root Silver Birches in the same hole about a month ago.

But today I saw on a different site something that said people shouldn't do it this way as they will never really thrive, the only way should be an actual coppice of one tree.

Does anyone have any experience of making a multistem tree by planting multiple trees in the same hole? Will they be okay or should I dig them up again and seperate them out?

Pete.8 · February 2023

3 trees in one hole is too much I'd say. None of them could thrive.
I often used to pass a house where they had 3 birch trees in a triangle each planted about 6ft apart.
They looked really good and no more than about 12-15ft tall.
In winter the bark shines and in summer they looked great too.

BenCotto · February 2023

Here are five or six birch trees in our garden planted very close together about 40 years ago. They grow very tall over time, but gracefully.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/3h/lgxwzngtxv8f.jpeg

Fairygirl · February 2023

I tend to agree re planting three in one hole. One would be inclined to dominate, unless the conditions were really perfect for them all to thrive.
Better to plant them a few feet apart, but it will also depend on the variety chosen - they have different habits, from spreading, weeping varieties, to more upright ones.

If you wanted a multi stem look, it would have been best to buy a B. jacquemontii which has been correctly grown and coppiced. There's some info here
https://www.barcham.co.uk/store/products/betula-utilis-jacquemontii-multi-stem

Silver Birch

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