Birches are excellent trees for small gardens, with lovely fresh green leaves in spring, casting light shade in summer, usually golden yellow leaves in autumn, and wonderful bark all year, but particularly prominent in winter. The one drawback is that the roots are near the surface, so there is competition for nutrients if other plants are placed too close.

Betula medwediewii is a rare species from the Caucasus, where it is found in the western Transcaucasus and in nother-east Turkey. It is a multi-stemmed, spreading shrub with metallic bark and large, ovate, dark green leaves. The male catkins are long and prominent, but the female ones are inconspicuous.