'Summer Cascade' River Birch Betula nigra 'Summer Cascade'

Weeping river birch is a graceful, relatively small tree in the Betulaceae (birch) family,  reaching 8 to 15 feet high when mature. 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.  ‘Summer Cascade’ is a cultivar of the native river birch and was introduced by John and Daniel Allen at Shiloh Nursery in Harmony, North Carolina.

River birch cultivars, like most birches, prefer wet sites and do best in moist, acidic, sandy or rocky, well-drained loam in full sun to part shade. The best foliage color occurs in full sun. River birches, including the weeping cultivar, are 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. It is also quite wind resistant. Keep the soil 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. 

Place the weeping river birch in the lawn or pond as a specimen or accent. It will thrive in a rain garden, and its year-round exfoliating bark makes it perfect for a winter garden.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Problems:  'Summer Cascade' is one of the only birch cultivars with resistance to bronze birch borer and leaf miner. Aphids may occur. Watch for leaf spot problems and chlorosis in alkaline soils. Weeping river birch is messy and tends to drop a lot of twigs, making it better suited for less manicured areas of the landscape.

More information on Betula nigra.