Silver Birch

Betula alba The name ‘birch’ is a very ancient one, probably derived from the Sanskrit bhurga meaning ‘a tree whose bark is used for writing upon’. The birch was a protective tree, used to avert the evil eye. In particular, on Midsummer Eve it was thought lucky to hang birch boughs over the doors of houses and, in Scotland, over signposts in the town. At one time a birch broomstick or besom wedding was thought perfectly legal. The couple jumped, one at a time, over a birch broom held against the doorway of their house and they were then regarded as married. An old English proverb, referring to the winter appearance of the tree, says, ‘He is as bare as the birch at Yule even.’