Common Name: Himilayan Birch Edinburgh Latin Name: Betula utilis ‘Edinburgh’Soil: Any good garden soilPosition: Full sun or partial shadeFlowering period/colour: March-April/Brown catkinsHardiness: Fully hardyHeight and spread in 20 years: 8m/3m Special features: A relatively new birch with an upright habit. The ‘Edinburgh’ is a hybrid of two popular varieties of birch: ‘Betula utilis’ and ‘Betula albosinensis’. It was first cultivated in the Edinburgh Botanical Gardens and is planted for its upright habit and peeling bark. The bark is white with a pink tinge and it peels as it ages, adding interest all year round. In terms of foliage, the leaves are dark green and glossy; they turn yellow in autumn before falling. The upright habit of this tree makes it perfect for structural planting and it looks particularly effective when planted in a trio.