Betula nana Golden Treasure

Betula nana Golden Treasure is a very unique variety of dwarf birch. Its diminutive and rounded leaves are held along thin, wiry stems. They emerge stunning yellow, with very fine veins in the spring, developing into hues of sunset orange and reddish gold in the summer, finishing the season a vivid red. The dwarf birch is a slow growing, spherical deciduous shrub that retains its characteristically compact shape as it matures. A feature of the genus Betula (Birch), this dwarf birch has the hallmark white, often papery bark. But it is primarily for its striking foliage colour, with that distinctive mix of hues and colour in the leaf, that this dwarf variety was developed. Golden Treasure (betula x plettkei) was hybridised by Michal Andrusiv in the Czech Republic and won the Green is Life Silver medal in Poland.

Commonly named the ‘Arctic Birch’, Betula are tough trees and B. nana Golden Treasure is no exception. It is very hardy being tolerant of extreme cold, making it a great fit anywhere in the UK.

Though your Betula nana Golden Treasure will do best in very moist, fertile and well-drained soil, birches in general can tolerate poorer soils. It’s a great fit for most anywhere in the patio or garden with its unique colouring and compact habit. 

Growing to about 100 cm in height and spread, this dwarf birch can tolerate hedging, shaping or shearing to your heart’s content. You can grow it in a container on the patio; a border planting; among other shrubs and ornamentals; or on its own in an exposed area where other choices might not survive. It prefers full sun, or lightly dappled shade.