The birch is without a doubt one of the most expressive and picturesque plants in the wild. If you want a decorative tree in your own home, you can certainly have success with a bonsai. Although birches are considered rather capricious bonsai trees, with a little commitment and the right conditions they can thrive.
Can a birch tree be kept as a houseplant?
A birch tree can be cultivated as a houseplant in the form of a bonsai, but requires a bright location, constantly moist substrate and annual repotting into moderately larger pots. Tree pruning should be done in the fall season to maintain natural growth.
Birch as a houseplant – yes or no?
Basically, the birch is one of the pioneer plants in nature: As a true life artist, it colonizes even inhospitable areas and can withstand harsh conditions. In contrast, birch in pots is known to be rather difficult. However, that doesn't mean that growing them isn't worth trying, because with the right location and good care, impressive dwarf trees can emerge. The most important thing for the birch as a houseplant is a location that is as bright as possible. The trees are extremely light hungry and prefer sunny partial shade outdoors. For a rather dark apartment, another type would certainly be more suitable.
Pulling a bonsai birch tree
If you have decided on a birch tree as a houseplant, you can either buy the tree directly as a container product or cultivate it yourself step by step using the following variants:
- Grow the birch tree from seeds.
- Grow a cutting from a branch.
- Plant a cutting.
Proper care
Whichever option you choose: In order to slow down the birch tree's usually very rapid growth, you should not give it a pot that is too large. Start with the size of an ordinary cleaning bucket and only increase the size sparingly when repotting annually. Because the more the roots can develop, the more the growth of the entire tree is stimulated. However, depriving the plant of light or water is not a suitable approach to keeping it small. In addition to sufficient sun, bonsai birches need a constantly moist substrate, otherwise they can die.
Pruning of the indoor birch
Your indoor birch doesn't have any major requirements when it comes to cutting. You should just pay attention to the right time and only shorten the tree in the autumn season. In spring and summer the birch could “bleed to death” as the sap flow pushes intensively to the tips and would cause the tree to lose a lot of water. Simply cut the crown nicely into shape; the birch tree already gives you the contour with its natural growth.
