Weeping River Birch Betula nigra 'Summer Cascade' PP15,105

Betula is Latin for birch and describes a genus of about 60 species of deciduous trees and shrubs found in many gardens and landscapes throughout the northern hemisphere. Betula nigra 'Summer Cascade", is a disease-resistant, fast-growing cultivar of Betula nigra, or River birch, and is a graceful, relatively small (6 foot high) specimen of River birch, with arching branches that can form a focal point in the landscape. Alternatively, the plant can be staked to gain height in the garden, reaching 8 to 15 feet high when mature. Summer Cascade was introduced by John and Daniel Allen at Shiloh Nursery in Harmony, N.C.

Tiny monoecious (male and female) flowers appear in early spring in separate catkins on the same tree. Greenish female flowers are followed by drooping cone-like fruits containing numerous small winged seeds that typically mature in late summer. In the fall, the tree displays attractive yellow foliage. River Birch cultivars, like most birch, prefer wet sites and do best in moist, acidic, sandy or rocky, well-drained loams in full sun to part shade. The best foliage color occurs in full sun. River birch is perhaps the most culturally adaptable and heat tolerant of the birches. This species has been known to tolerate flooded conditions for extended periods of time. For this reason, it is naturally found in riverbanks, streambanks, and floodplains. In the landscape, keep the tree consistently moist and consider using soaker hoses and bark mulches to keep the root zones cool and moist. You can allow the stems to grow to the ground or prune them to enjoy the exfoliating bark., but you should prune during the dormant season. Do not prune in winter or spring when the sap is running because it will bleed. It tends to drop lots of twigs, making it better suited for less manicured areas of the landscape.

Insects, Diseases and Other Problems:  'Summer Cascade' is of the only birch cultivars with resistance to bronze birch borer and leaf miner. Aphids may occur. Watch for leaf spot problems. Susceptible to chlorosis in alkaline soils.

More information on Betula nigra.