Birch

Genus: Betula
english name: Birch, White Birch, Lady Of The Woods
latin name: Betula alba

Family: Betulaceae
Contenents: betulinic acid (a pentacyclic triterpene), essential oil which is methyl salicylate, saponins, bitter principle, tannin, flavonoids (luteolin, hyperoside, quercitin), glycosides
Parts used: leaf and bark
Properties: Diuretic, antirheumatic, stimulant, astringent, anthelmintic, cholagogue, diaphoretic.
Uses
internal uses: cystitis and urinary tract infections; Leaves were used as a tea for gout, rheumatism, dropsy, and kidney stones;
external uses: the leaves disinfect wounds and are considered to alleviate most skin complaints, including cellulite. The leaves are used externally as an astringent and antiseptic; young leaves have been used in cheese and now in the catkins salads

The Birch is a beautiful and also a very useful herbal plant. The species are generally small to medium-size trees or shrubs, mostly of northern temperate climates. The simple leaves may be toothed or pointed. The Birch tree is very common in the Russia and North America. In the Scandinavia and Finland the people after sauna use the branch of the Birch that they abrade the old skin above the new. Birch is used as firewood due to its high calorific value per unit weight and unit volume.

The common name birch is derived from an old Germanic root, birka, with the Proto-Indo-European root; the Proto-Germanic rune berkanan is named after the birch. The botanic name Betula is from the original Latin.