Betula nigra

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, or River Birch, is a deciduous, upright, flowering tree with cinnamon brown, exfoliating bark and yellow fall foliage that tends to drop off the tree quickly. It is the only native birch that does well in low elevations of the south. 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. The River Birch has graceful branches, is easy to transplant, is heat tolerant and moderately salt tolerant. The bark of young River Birch trees is reddish-brown with a papery appearance. The bark peels away year-round and the inner bark varies in hue from light to dark. The papery bark layers remain attached giving it an attractive ragged appearance.  

It can be trained as either a single trunk or multi-trunked tree. As a single trunk tree, it develops a pyramidal habit when young, but matures to a more rounded shape. Multi-trunked trees form a more irregular crown and are generally considered to be the superior growth habit for this species. Birches are considered a "pioneer" species and, thus, tend to grow quickly when young. Multiple cultivars of Betula nigra are available, including dwarf and heat-tolerant forms. 

River Birch prefers wet sites and does 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. It needs little pruning, but if necessary, you can 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, or Other Plant Problems: River Birch tends to shed interior leaves during summer droughts and dry periods and can become stressed by summer heat and humidity. River Birch is resistant to the bronze birch borer which infects and kills trees. Aphids, leaf miner and birch skeletonizer may also occur. Watch for leaf spot problems.