Birch trees are beautiful at any time of the year but especially illuminated by the light of the sun. These delicate trees also hide a mystic mystery. It sounds a bit poetic but you will see why in today`s post.
The birch trees live, have a memory, a soul, and an energy which they can give us. I think that all of this makes them magical.
Birch (their Latin name is Betula) is a tree or shrub that grows mainly in forests or meadows. Some varieties have an elegant, rounded crown, others have weeping branches that cascade to the ground.
While going to the park, where I often like to walk, I came across some of these trees which are quite common in my area. All birch trees have flaky creamy white bark and some have a light cinnamon brown colour. I am always impressed by these limp and delicate branches, which bring me a joyful and relaxed mood when I see them from a distance.
The white bark of these trees, sometimes covered with green, delicate velvet moss, is decorative even in winter. And the small heart-shaped leaves are a real eye-catcher from spring to fall.
Birch trees are quite tall , and grow to 25 meters which is very impressive. They live over 100 years which is a three or even four generation span.
Their seeds are transferred by the wind and can settle even in the most difficult habitats, such as sands or ruderal places.
The birches I met on my walk around my town and in the local park with characteristic white flaky bark and heart shaped leaves.
There is a legend that it is good to hug these trees because they generate positive energy. Being among birches brings inner peace and soothes our nerves. I have never tried to cuddle up to a birch, but I know that when I am close to birch, it gives me pleasure and calms me down inside.
This is the so-called tree therapy, which brings relief to shattered nerves. It doesn't matter if it's just stories or the truth, but a walk in a birch forest will certainly make you feel positive.
Birch is important to us for one more reason. They help to reduce dust and greenhouse gases in the city, and at the same time give us life-giving oxygen.
It is impossible to not recognise a birch in comparison with another tree, because of its chalky white and cracked bark, which is made of thin, paper-like lobes.
It is interesting that this bark was once used as food in various parts of the world, as ground flour. In India it was used as paper.
In addition, the use of birch has been associated with superstitions for centuries, such as the use for magical purposes by witches and druids. Birches are used as a component of health infusions, teas and compresses. Their juice is a valuable source of vitamin C and minerals used by people suffering from exhaustion of the body or in herbal treatments. This is another example of how these trees are widely used.
Birch trees also have a disadvantage. They contain pollen, which is an allergen for some people, so it is not recommended for them to be near birch trees.
Birches are so picturesque and beautiful that they can fit everywhere.
We should not prune them, because in this way we mutilate them. After pruning, these trees begin to "cry" sap and if it is done improperly, then can even lead to the tree withering. On the other hand - have you ever seen a trimmed birch in a meadow or in a forest? I haven't.
Here is a photo I took during my walk when we had very chilly winter weather and everything around was covered with diamond frost. These trees look beautiful together with a group of cyclamen whose purple and pink petals accenting the beautiful white colour of the birch bark.
This composition looks really romantic and gives real joy to the eyes of passers-by, even in the winter time.
Birches give relaxation during the heat and have energizing power about which I wrote here. These trees are also a favorite habitat for the birds. Often as I pass by, I hear the song of a blackbird calling out beautifully to a female bird. His singing is wide and cheerful, so I could listen to him for hours.
Sometimes I think that birches are like the caring mother who hugs her child to her heart and comforts her when she needs it.
For such all reasons I think the birch is a magical tree.