The birch enchants with its delicate appearance consisting of a slender trunk with a tall growth, filigree sawn leaves and of course the unmistakable white trunk, which appears marbled due to its black cracks. In contrast to this gentle appearance, birches are extremely robust, life-hungry trees. How old can birch trees get?
How old can birch trees get?
Birches can live at different ages depending on the species and living conditions: silver birches usually reach an age of around 80 years, while downy birches can live up to 200 years. However, on average, birch trees live about 120 years.
The birch tree can reach this age
There are more than 40 species of birch, so there are slight differences in lifespan depending on which birch it is. In general, however, they are extremely fast-growing trees. They are undemanding and manage to multiply and thrive even in poor soil and less than optimal conditions. That's why the birch is known as a pioneer plant.
The final height of most birch trees is around 25 meters. The trees reach this point when they are around 50 years old. Some specimens even exceed 30 meters. Once the final growth is complete, the end of a birch's life is still far from being in sight. Birch trees can live an average of 120 years under the best conditions. The silver birches, which are most common in Germany, usually live to be around 80 years old, while the downy birches, which are also commonly found, can live up to 200 years.
Stages in the life of a birch tree
The birch blossoms for the first time after about five years. However, the free-standing tree only reaches sexual maturity after around ten years at the earliest, and even significantly later depending on the conditions at its location.
Determining the age of a birch tree
If you are interested in the age of a birch tree, you can get a vague estimate of it by measuring the tree's circumference. Of course, the usual counting of rings only works for specimens that have already been felled. In principle, however, the measurement amounts to the same thing. However, since the annual rings can reach different widths, measuring the circumference only allows an approximate interpretation.
Measuring the circumference of a birch tree
It is preferable to measure the circumference at a height of one to one and a half meters from the ground. You can also take two measurements, one at one meter and one at one and a half, and then average them. Then multiply your trunk circumference by 0.4 and get a rough estimate of how old your birch tree could already be. More precise measurements can only be carried out by specialists, for example by measuring drilling resistance.