Reference to "the pests" at link is presumably in regard to bronze birch borer. We have this rampaging through the very many European birch in my area now and mostly what I see is trees of some size being killed from the tips down. Whereas 'Trost Dwarf' is small growing.

If you refrain from limbing it up presumably you will get the form like in the picture over time. And since you have already gotten one you have seen what the leaf structure is like and found that appealing. Personally I find this aspect unlovely and nothing like the lace-leaf maples to which I have seen the cultivar compared.

Unlovely is my garden style! ;)

I have one that has been in the ground for 5-6 years. All I can say is that it is easy and slow.

Sarah, you seem to have a lot of plants. Mmm, easy and slow. I suppose that can be taken as a positive. Is it healthy?

Yes I do...it's a disease...

Yes, it's healthy. One issue that I have with it (I guess the only issue) is that this is a huge garden and the scale of this plant is small/fine. I had trouble siting it as it just seemed to get lost. It will look a lot better when it gets bigger. I've never seen a big one for sale or I'd be sorely tempted...

Growth habit variants like this may really often need their own isolated settings to look at home. For instance small walled in areas, where the dwarf tree can reign supreme - without normal habit shrubs or trees visible in the immediate vicinity (resulting in a conflict of scale). Same as is done with the displaying of potted bonsai.

I can't think of another woody plant with finer, more delicate foliage than this one -- at least not one that is hardy to z4. My concern is how much direct sun it can tolerate, especially in our thin/sandy soils. I've got what I think would be an ideal site culturally, but not sure if it would meet Embothrium's design standards. It may be unlovely, but I'll love it...hopefully not to death.

It doesn't make any dfference what anyone else's "design standards" are - it only has to satisfy yours :-) And provided it gets the water it requires, full sun is fine and actually preferred.

Yes I found a spot by a rock that works. Looking for 'small moments' in a large garden is always challenging, but satisfying when I find them.

Small moments in a large garden — I like that. Has anyone pulled off a large moment in a small garden?