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- Birch
The widespread birch tree grows up to 30-40 meters. It has a large crown, which is rich green in summer, and with the arrival of autumn changes color to golden. Birch trees shed all their leaves for the winter, and their ripe seeds, collected in “catkins,” are carried over long distances by gusts of wind. More than 5 thousand small, light seeds fit into 1 g.
The tree can be easily distinguished from others by the specific color of its bark. Only in birch it is white or slightly pinkish with black dashes. Near the roots of old trees it is rougher, with large cracks and grooves. The age of the tree can exceed 100 years. Moreover, a young plant first gains growth very slowly, but over the years it gives rapid growth.
Birch trees often grow in entire groves and are common in mixed forests. Boletus mushrooms, porcini mushrooms, and russulas settle near them. Special dwarf varieties have been bred for decorative purposes. The tree is not picky about both soil and climatic conditions and tolerates even severe frosts. Therefore, special protective strips are planted from them around the fields. And the birches themselves very quickly populate wastelands and burnt-out areas.
The leaves, up to 6-7 cm long, are diamond-shaped and framed by small teeth. The tree wakes up very early in the spring, blooms sticky leaves and earring flowers, which have a lot of pollen. This is a good help for bees waking up after wintering. In the spring, the juice is collected for food purposes, it is preserved, and kvass is prepared.
Everything in birch is useful. In ancient times they wrote on bark (birch bark) like on paper. Now it is used for crafts, making jewelry, baskets, and boxes. The leaves can be fed to farm animals. In dried form (brooms) they are used in baths, decoctions and infusions are used in cosmetology, for the treatment of dermatological diseases and wounds. Birch resin (tar) is used in the manufacture of bactericidal soap and medicinal ointments. Even fungi that parasitize birch - chaga - are used in medicine.
The wood is used for firewood if the tree is over 40 years old, as well as for the production of skis, gun stocks, and plywood. Houses are not built from birch, since without special treatment the wood easily rots.
Birch - description and characteristics
Birch is a white-trunked tree, reaching a height of up to 30 m. It lives for approximately 100-150 years. It has an even long trunk, smooth, with characteristic black lines or spots on the surface of the bark. The tree has branched roots that go deep into the ground. The leaves are triangular oblong in shape, different sizes, very fragrant, colored in different shades of green, jagged along the edges. Young leaves may be sticky.
Dwarf
From time immemorial in Rus' it has been a cult plant, a symbol of Slavism. The tree was associated with the appearance of a young beautiful girl - pure and immaculate. In Slavic culture it is a spiritual tree - it drives away evil spirits and is a family talisman.
Widely used in folk medicine. For example, you can make a bath broom from branches, steaming with which will relieve muscle tension and soothe the skin. Birch sap has a beneficial effect on blood circulation, and tar will help with skin diseases.
The beauty and significance of this tree is glorified in literature, and the benefits of birch as a plant cannot be overestimated. It is hardy and tolerant of any weather and soil, which is why its natural habitat in nature is so wide.
Black
Tell children about trees Larisa Burmistrova, 2008
Every day, when a child goes to kindergarten or for a walk with his parents, he sees a variety of trees around him. Green giants not only make people admire their beauty, they bring real benefits to people by producing life-giving oxygen and purifying the air of harmful impurities. A manual dedicated to trees will help your child become more familiar with the wonderful world of woody plants. The child will learn what trees grow in different areas of our large country, about the characteristics of their growth, flowering and fruiting. The pictures in the manual show not only the general appearance of a particular tree - birch, pine or alder. Next to the tree itself there are also large images of their leaves and fruits, which will help the baby distinguish one type of tree from another.
Table of contents
The given introductory fragment of the book Tell children about trees was provided by our book partner - the liters company.
In a white sundress
With handkerchiefs in pockets,
With beautiful clasps
With green earrings.
The birch tree is considered the symbol of our country. Since ancient times, songs and poems have been written about this tree:
There was a birch tree in the field,
There was a curly girl standing in the field.
White birch tree under my window
She covered herself with snow, like silver,
On fluffy branches with a snow border
The tassels bloomed with white fringe.
Birch is unpretentious and grows on dry sands and marshy soils. It can be found in the forest, in the field, and in parks.
In early spring, when the buds swell on the trees, flowers appear on the birch - inconspicuous earrings. In summer they noticeably increase in size and turn brown. Each ripe earring contains several hundred small seeds. And on a whole adult tree, in fruitful years, up to several million of them can ripen. The smallest fruits, similar to a very small butterfly with open wings, are carried by the wind over long distances and germinate in suitable soils the following spring. That is why birch is one of the first to occupy vacant plots of land.
The white bark of birch - birch bark - reflects the sun's rays and protects the tree from overheating.
Since ancient times, birch bark has been used to make household products. Raw materials were harvested in the spring. At this time, the birch bark sheds, that is, it freely separates from the wood. The raw materials were dried in the shade and smoothed under a press. Tueskas, mugs, bread bins, boxes and other household items were made from birch bark. Bast shoes, baskets, trunks were woven from the inner part of the birch bark - bast.
When people did not yet know how to make paper, they wrote on birch bark. Birch bark letters, which are 700–800 years old, have survived to this day.
Birch is still beneficial today. Furniture is made from its wood. Birch buds have healing properties and are used to prepare medicines.
Source
Bloom
It starts in April. Birch has staminate and pistillate catkins. Pistillate - female, 2-3.5 cm in length, one per branch. They live mainly on the side of the branch. Appear when the first leaves bloom. Staminate - male, long scaly, 6-7 cm long, 3-4 units on branches, abundantly secrete pollen. One earring contains about 600 seeds. The fruit is an oval nut with two wings that are several times larger than it. Ripening begins in August. The seeds are spread across the ground by the wind and take root in any soil.
Karelian
Essay on the topic “Birch - white-trunked beauty”
Birch is one of the most common and beautiful trees in our country. His sweet image is unusually attractive with its sincere naturalness and soul-touching tenderness.
Do you want to see the grandeur of natural beauty in rustic simplicity? Turn your gaze to the birch tree. On the one hand, this is quite ordinary, but on the other hand, it is a surprisingly touching, unusually attractive tree. The birch bark is white and thin on top, and black and clumsy below. Black stripes on white bark are needed so that the tree can breathe through them.
Creative people see birch as an inexhaustible source of inspiration. Contemplation of this modest tree gives strength, energy, and contributes to the development of literary and artistic gifts. Talented works of music, works of fine art and fiction are born. Perhaps the most famous is the poem by Sergei Yesenin:
“The white birch tree under my window is covered with snow, like silver”...
The people glorified the gentle white-trunked beauty in songs. One of them - “There was a birch tree in the field” - is so popular that it is recognizable from the first chords.
How can one explain such a great national love for this modest tree? Probably because it resembles a fragile young girl, dressed in a white outfit with dark stripes, which fits her flexible figure and emphasizes the elegance of her thin figure.
Types of birch trees
The exact classification has not yet been established, and the number of species in the family is about 100. The most popular:
| View | Height (m) / Trunk diameter (m) | Description |
| Fluffy (hairy) | Approximately 20-27. About 0.75. | The young bark is brown, turning white with age. Narrow crown, branches pointing upward, spreading variety. Undemanding to the sun, frost-resistant, preferably moist soil. Grows in Siberia, the Caucasus and western Europe. |
| Hanging (warty) | Maximum 35. Approximately 0.8. | The most common variety. Young trees have brown bark, which turns white after 10 years. The branches hang down and are covered with a lot of resin. Geography of habitat - Europe, Asia, northern Africa. |
| Ermana (stone) | Until 10-12. Reaches 1. | The uniqueness of the tree is its lifespan - about 500 years. Winding trunk, sparse crown. The bark ranges in color from gray to brown. It grows in Siberia, the Far East, China, and Japan. |
| Cherry (sticky, sweet) | Approximately 22-27. Up to 0.65. | Fissured dark brown bark. The tree's cap is in the form of a pyramid, with drooping branches. The leaves are oblong oval shaped and rich green in color. Does not like frost, prefers moist and drained soils. Habitat: Baltic states, Belarus, eastern Europe. |
| Chernaya (river) | No more than 35. More than 1. | Brown or gray bark with a rough texture. The leaves are triangular or oval, dark green in color. Loves warm climates. Grows in America. |
| Dwarf (small-tall, dwarf) | It ranges from 0.2 to 1. | Strongly branched shrub with brown bark. Fluffy leaves with jagged edges. It grows mainly in the tundra, so it loves excessively moist soil. It is found in Yakutia, Kamchatka, Siberia, as well as in mountainous regions. |
| Karelian | Can reach 6-9. About 0.4. | The shape is similar to a bush. The trunk is tuberous and uneven. Wood is highly valued in furniture production. The crown is holly, serrated edges of the petals. Natural habitat - Norway, Sweden, Karelia, Poland, Belarus. |
Hanging
Mini-essay on the topic “Birch”
Even in ancient times, the Slavs believed that birch had a special vitality. And the tree generously shares its healing energy with everyone. If you approach a birch tree, lean against it and hug it, all your sorrows go away, and your soul becomes light and joyful.
Birch is not only a beautiful, but also a useful tree, which is famous for its healing aromatic sap. It begins to be collected in the spring, at the end of March. You cannot use an ax as this can lead to the death of the tree. To prevent the holes for collecting juice from turning into open wounds, they must be covered with paint and plugged with moss. Take care of birches! Don't hurt our green friends!
Visit the birch forest and admire the slender white-trunked beauties. Think about what you like most about them, and then your essay about birch will be sincere and meaningful. About
Planting and care
Birch is not picky about soil and can grow and develop in any soil. To grow a curly tree in your own area, it is recommended to prepare moist and loamy soil. You should dig a hole into which the mixture is added in certain proportions: peat, sand, humus and ordinary garden soil in a ratio of 1:1:1:2. In order for the plant to take root better, the seedling must be placed with an earthen ball on the roots. After planting, you need to provide regular watering and fertilizing with complex fertilizers containing phosphorus and potassium.
Do not forget that in summer the tree absorbs a lot of water, so it is necessary to water it regularly, taking into account 1 bucket per 1 square meter. m.
Feed twice a year: in autumn and spring - with a nitrogen-containing solution or nitroammophos.
Prevention of diseases and pests is carried out annually. The plant is treated with a fungicide or insecticide.
Fluffy
Description of birch at different times of the year: spring, summer, autumn, winter
In the warm season, the slender beauty throws on top a green cloak woven from heart-shaped leaves. And to highlight her unsurpassed image, the fashionista adorns herself with long earrings. She changes them depending on the season: in spring she prefers green ones, in summer - brown ones. In autumn, the birch tree dresses up in a festive golden headdress. But with the onset of cold weather, it’s time to give away the formal attire. The white-trunked beauty does not want to part with him, but the evil wind does not spare the maiden beauty. He mercilessly tears off the golden robe, leaving the beautiful maiden naked. And she stands, embarrassed and bashful, sadly remembering the fine summer days. Then the breeze was gentle, and the sun not only shone, but also warmed. Until spring, the tree will dream of the warm season, hoping that its beauty will rise again.
This is our birch: defenseless, sweet, dear to the heart. And how beautiful the birch forest is! The beautiful sisters stand nearby, contrastingly standing out with their white trunks against the background of the dark earth. They are charming and lovely, you involuntarily fall in love with them at first sight and for the rest of your life. Admiring the view of a young birch grove touches the finest strings of the soul, making a person softer, kinder, more merciful. Take care of these beautiful trees!
"February Azure"
It would seem, what does birch have to do with it? But even here, it turns out, you can easily raise the level of education for children by expanding their horizons when getting acquainted with a very famous work of painting.
Many painters were often attracted to the snowy birch, a brief description of which can be found if you study reviews, the history of creativity and directly the paintings of great Russian artists.
So is Igor Emmanuilovich Grabar. He painted a picture widely known to the public, and not only in Russia, under the picturesque title “February Azure.”
Having created his masterpiece and later telling the story of its creation, the landscape painter recalled that at that time there were wonderful, sunny February days: “Something unusual was happening in nature. It seemed that she was celebrating some unprecedented holiday of the azure sky, pearl birches, coral branches and sapphire shadows on lilac snow.”
Therefore, having looked at this work at least once, you easily remember the image of a birch tree and are quickly transported to that fresh winter mood that its author put into the picture.
Historical reference
A characteristic and quite interesting description of the birch tree for children can be conveyed through folk signs and peasant folklore.
The sacred tree, which our common ancestors, the Slavs, considered the birch to be, personified beauty, the radiance of light and the purity of a woman.
The white-trunked beauty was honored on a holiday specially designated for her, according to church canons - Semik, when she received special attention. Young girls decorated the birch tree with ribbons and flowers, wove wreaths on their heads, sang songs and danced around it.
In addition to the festivals dedicated to the folk tree, there were many peasant signs and sayings identified and invented by farmers and simple observers of nature.
Many signs were associated with sowing. So, they sowed bread when the birch catkins burst, and oats - when the leaves were already blooming.
If in the spring they tried birch sap and it turned out to be tasteless, then it was believed that there would be a rich harvest of bread.
The birch tree also suggested what the summer would be like. If it blooms its leaves before the alder, then the summer will be dry. If it's the other way around, it's rainy.
The tree also spoke about spring and winter with great coincidence. Early spring came if the top began to turn yellow first, late spring - from the bottom side. And snow covered the ground late, if in early October the birch tree was still standing.
As can be seen from the examples, a lot is said about the birch tree in riddles, fairy tales, and poems.
Birch story No. 1
Dimka's house is located near the forest. From there to the village the road goes through the field. There are no trees there. There is only one place near the road where there is a white birch tree.
Dimka is coming home from school, singing a song about astronauts. Today he is happy. I got an A in geography. He looks: a car has stopped on the road near a birch tree. The driver got out of the car, stood and thought about what to do. The car can't drive because there is a hole in the road.
The driver took the ax and went to the birch tree. Dimka understood everything and shouted:
- Uncle, wait, don’t cut down the birch tree!
But the driver doesn't hear. He picked up the axe. Dimka ran to him.
The driver looks at Dimka.
- What do you want, boy? - asks.
- Uncle, don’t cut down the birch tree. She's small.
“I can see for myself that she’s small,” says the driver. - So what to do? You see a hole. You need to put something under the wheels.
“I’ll run to the village to get a tractor,” says Dimka.
- Oh no! I don't have much time. I am late…
“Then I’ll bring stones,” Dimka said and ran. Brought stones. The eyes are cheerful. - Where to throw it?
The driver did not answer and also went to get the stones. Together they carried stones and threw them under the wheels. And now you can go. The driver got into the car.
- Where are you going? - he asks Dimka.
The car is running fast. Here is the forest. The car stopped.
“Goodbye,” the driver said and smiled. - Thank you, boy.
Story No. 3 - “A worthy deed”
A lone gnarled birch tree grew on a hillock. The autumn wind whipped it painfully, tearing off young branches.
One day the guys came to the hill, dug holes, and planted apple trees along the slope. And all around, in order to protect the apple trees from the wind, rowan trees, birches, and fir trees were planted.
Children often came to the young garden. Either they will whitewash the trunks with lime, or they will light smoky fires.
The trees have grown. The apple trees have bloomed. People passed by and admired the garden. In autumn, a thick aroma of ripe apples came from the garden.
