Elegant and appreciated ornamental tree, the Birch has accompanied man since prehistoric times. Its recognized medicinal properties and its many and varied uses have made it a fundamental plant in the daily life of mankind.
The white tree
Birches, rarely solitary trees, mark the landscape with their clear silhouettes and delicate foliage. Elegance and lightness characterize them. Two large species are found in Europe, from the Betulaceae family, the Warty Birch and the Pubescent Birch, the latter preferring humid areas. Pioneers, they like cleared lands, burned, full light. They settle down, renew themselves, the time of a passage of life of man, their longevity does not exceed 100 years, 150 at most. Their properties are common and multiple...
Medicinal properties
More and more recognized and appreciated, the medicinal properties of Birch deserve to be considered.
Internally they present mainly diuretic, depurative, anti-rheumatic interests. The infusion of leaves and the decoction of buds are used in the care of renal colic, dropsy, cellulite... The sap, whose reputation continues to grow, is harvested at the end of winter, at the first signs of spring. Spring cures are recommended, in small doses, a few tablespoons per day. Its antioxidant properties are in the taste of the day, its possible role also in the regulation of intestinal disorders.
Externally the decoction of leaves or bark is detersive, disinfectant and would cure many skin problems. Leaves enveloping the body or painful organs soothe rheumatism, just like Alder leaves.
A wood with variable but numerous qualities
The white wood of Birch can be yellowish or even reddish. Neither too hard nor too heavy, it is easy to work, and is of better quality when subjected to harsh climatic conditions, in the mountains or in Northern Europe, with a slower growth.
It lends itself to turning, for the manufacture of plates, bowls, spoons, various utensils. Its lack of tannins favors food contact. Used for the manufacture of light and solid clogs, the carpentry will appreciate it for the structures of furniture. The cabinetmaking with appropriate dyes will transform it into walnut and mahogany; its wood sometimes knotty or "madré", intertwining of fibers, in some Warty Birch, will be of the most beautiful effect.
The long list is completed by the use of the young flexible stems to tie up barrels, to make tool handles, ladders, but also paper pulp, fiberboard, thin plywood, models...
An all-purpose bark
If Birch wood has many uses, its bark is not to be outdone, far from it. Highly concentrated in resins, it does not degrade, and was used, and is still used, to waterproof roofs, make hats, capes, baskets, belts, mats... The Amerindian dugouts were famous for their lightness and their capacity to carry heavy loads. As early as prehistoric times, boxes were designed, folded, rolled, sewn, allowing to carry flint, tinder, medicinal plants.... In the last century, shepherds still used them as gaiters...
By heating pieces of bark, one obtains the pitch of Birch, a tar allowing the gluing, the sealing. And if the uses of the bark of Birch are still numerous, it is necessary to quote one of them: the paper.
Various uses
In fire, Birch emits a lively heat without smoke, leaving very little ash, properties sought after by bakers and glassmakers. It is called "baker's wood". As fuel, its rolled bark was used to make long-lasting torches.
Birch also has a good reputation as a broom. Its branches attached to an ash handle by wicker or bramble ties were used to make brooms, famous for their sturdiness, but also chopsticks for unruly school children... Hence its name "tree of wisdom".
Its dyeing properties, use of the leaves, allow to obtain a yellow or green tint, according to whether one adds chalk or alum.
In the past, the leaves were dried to be used as fodder during the winter.
Birch wine closes this incomplete list, a sparkling and refreshing beverage obtained by fermenting the sap harvested in spring.
Some stories
A tree with white bark, light, elegant, pioneer, the Birch is a symbol of purity and renewal. It is associated with the light of the moon, feminine Goddess, and plays a protective and purifying role. The birch wood cradles would protect children from evil forces, the wood was inhabited by fairies ...
The Birch would also be a tree of passage between the worlds.
