Birch is a white-leaved deciduous tree that can grow over 20 meters. The Latin name for birch is Betula pendulaand belongs to the family Betulaceae.
Its trunk is covered with characteristic white bark that peels off in circles. Its branches hang down, and its leaves are triangular-ovate, with a double serrated edge. Before leafing, it blooms from April to May, depending on the altitude. Its flowers are tiny, grouped into male and female tassels. Birch grows on poor and shallow soils, on forest clearings, and is widely grown in tree rows and orchards.
Given that it is resistant to low temperatures, it is most widespread in the northern regions, and it grows individually in open areas such as hills and plains and mountains where it grows as a group of trees.
History of birch
Birch appeared in the 16th century, for medicinal purposes, when the famous Italian doctor Mattiola started using it to treat bladder and kidney stones. That is why it bears the name “European tree against kidney diseases”.
In India, Siberia and America, the birch was a magical tree for the Indians.
In the Middle Ages, it got the name “wisdom tree” after the birch rod that was used to punish lazy students.
There is information that during the American Civil War, in the period from 1861 to 1865, it saved the lives of many starving soldiers because they used juice, seeds and flour from birch bark.
Growing and harvesting birch
In order to grow birch trees properly, it is necessary to have a good knowledge of proper watering, stacking of crops, feeding or fertilizing, and the possible ways in which birch trees reproduce.
Birch is best planted in spring or autumn, and thrives on clay, stony, sandy and fresh and acidic soils that are not rich in nutrients. The most favorable soil pH value for birch is from 6 to 7.5.
Birch can be propagated vegetatively and by seeds, and when propagating by seeds, it is mandatory to follow the instructions for planting seeds. It is propagated vegetatively with the help of cuttings. Birch maintenance and care refers to the proper treatment of the soil against weeds and the shaping and pruning of the crown.
Immediately after planting the birch, attention should be paid to the condition of the soil. Abundant watering of the seedling is necessary until it is fully rooted, given that it has a superficial root system. During dry periods, it is recommended to water with 10 liters of water per 1 square shoot of the crown.
During growth, birch absorbs a large amount of moisture from the soil, so it is not recommended to plant it near fruit-bearing crops. Birch is known not to do well with other fruit trees.
In early spring, before the leaves appear, fertilization is done with nitrogen fertilizers, and in autumn with mineral fertilizers. If you notice yellowed or decayed leaves, then it means that the soil is completely exhausted and then it is necessary to carry out complete fertilization.
It is possible to collect and collect bark and tree sap, leaves and buds from birch trees.
In late winter or early spring, it is best to pick the buds just before they open. Buds harvested in this way are used to make various tinctures, ointments and teas.
Leaves are collected from May to July.
The bark is collected at the beginning of spring or at the end of autumn, and the sap from the tree at the end of February or the beginning of March. It is important to know that sap can be collected from birch trees that have a diameter of at least 20 cm.
Preparation of birch tea
The classic preparation of birch tea is to pour 2 teaspoons of dry birch leaves with one cup of hot water. Leave it covered for 10 minutes, then strain it and put it in a thermos bottle. This amount of tea is drunk in smaller amounts throughout the day. Tea prepared in this way is an excellent remedy for bladder and kidney diseases.
Tea can be prepared by pouring 1 teaspoon of chopped dried leaves with 2 dl of boiling water and letting it steep for half an hour. After half an hour, strain the tea and drink 2 to 4 cups a day.
For dropsy, it is possible to use a tea mixture prepared from 10 g of rosemary, 10 g of nettle, 10 g of rose hip, 10 g of birch leaf, 20 g of pine and 20 g of horsetail. 1 teaspoon of herbs is taken from this tea mixture and poured with boiling water. Cover and let stand for 1 hour. After that, strain and drink 1 to 2 cups a day. Tea can be sweetened with honey.
Against kidney stones, you can also prepare a tea mixture of pyrica, oleander, waterspout and birch.
Use of birch
Birch has been known for hundreds of years as a magical and medicinal tree, the buds, juice, bark and leaves of which are used to treat various ailments. Many peoples in distant and different regions used birch in a similar way in nutrition and in medicine.
Birch leaf is considered one of the strongest natural herbal diuretics, which promotes even 5 to 6 times greater and stronger excretion of the amount of urination.
Medicinal poultices made of young birch leaves are applied to inflamed and painful places when it comes to gout, rheumatism, painful and swollen joints and watery swellings.
In the spring, folk medicine recommends various herbal therapies and ways of eating in order to purify the whole body and blood and maintain health, and the therapy is based precisely on fresh birch sap.
Baths are prepared from the bark, which help in the treatment of various skin diseases and impurities. Also known is birch bark tea, which is used to soak warts and helps to quickly remove warts.
Possible side effects of tea and birch preparations
Although not many side effects have been observed after using tea and other birch preparations, an allergy is still possible if you are allergic to wild carrots or wormwood. Experts warn that these two allergies are usually related.
Given that birch tea has a diuretic effect, it is necessary to be careful if drugs that have the same effect, such as chlorthalidone or chlorothiazide, are consumed at the same time.
If an excessive amount of diuretic teas with diuretics is drunk, valuable minerals can be lost from the body.
Nursing mothers and pregnant women should definitely consult a doctor before using birch preparations, just like everyone else who would like to use birch for medicinal purposes.
Drying and storage of birch
Birch buds are always dried in an airy, cool and shady place to prevent them from opening.
The leaves are also dried in a shady and airy but warm place. When the sheets are placed to dry, care must be taken not to stick them for a long time, otherwise they will darken. So, when drying the leaves, it is necessary to separate them.
The bark is dried in a warm and airy place. Dry leaves and buds are stored in dark and dry packaging that has protection against light penetration. Dried birch bark can be coarsely chopped and ground into flour and stored that way.
Birch sap from the tree is collected with the help of a glass tube or a tin funnel that is pushed into the drilled part of the tree to a depth of 2 to 4 cm. After that, the juice begins to flow, which is stored in a non-iron container or bottle. After collecting the sap from the birch, the drilled part on the tree is coated with a resin intended for grafting so that it heals as soon as possible.
Photo: manfredrichter / Pixabay