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Betula nigra

Phonetic Spelling
BET-yoo-luh NY-gruh
Description

River birch is a native deciduous, upright, flowering tree with cinnamon-brown, exfoliating bark and yellow fall foliage that tends to drop off the tree early and quickly. A member of the Betulaceae (birch) family, it is the only native birch that does well in low elevations of the south. 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.

River birch prefers wet sites and does 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 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. It is also quite wind resistant. In the landscape, keep the soil 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.

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.  

Consider planting the Heritage cultivar, which has superior ornamental characteristics.

Site the tree as a specimen or small grouping for shade or screening in the lawn, a rain garden, or naturalized, woodland, or riparian areas. Do not plant it next to the house, because falling branchlets will clog gutters.

Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: Although river birch is resistant to the bronze birch borer, which infects and kills trees, aphids, leaf miner, and birch skeletonizer may occur. Watch for leaf spot problems. River birch tends to shed interior leaves during summer droughts and dry periods and can become stressed by summer heat and humidity. It also tends to drop a lot of twigs, making it better suited for less manicured areas of the landscape.

VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.

 

Profile Video:
See this plant in the following landscape:
Floricyle
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Dickinson'
    Called 'Northern Tribute', upright rounded habit, ivory bark that exfoliates to copper-bronze, borer resistant.
  • 'Duraheat'
    Somewhat smaller cultivar that features creamy white bark, tolerance to heat, insect/disease resistance and superior foliage.
  • 'Heritage'
    'Heritage' or 'Cully', vigorous, fast-growing, medium-sized, single or multi-stemmed, salmon bark exfoliates to white inner bark
  • 'Little King'
    Sold as FOX VALLEY, dense, compact (10' x 12'), multi-stemmed with irregular crown.
  • 'Little King'
  • 'Royal Frost'
  • 'Shiloh Splash' Betula nigra 'Shiloh Splash' (PP16,362)
    Variegated foliage
  • 'Statechamp'
  • 'Summer Cascade' Betula nigra 'Summer Cascade' PP15,105
    Weeping
'Dickinson', 'Duraheat', 'Heritage', 'Little King', 'Little King', 'Royal Frost', 'Shiloh Splash', 'Statechamp', 'Summer Cascade'
Tags:
#interesting bark#native tree#winter interest#tsc#fall interest#small mammals#messy#wind tolerant#fire low flammability#NC native#buffer#children's garden#playground plant#mourning cloak butterflies#naturalizes#edible seeds#shimmer#screening#Braham Arboretum#fantz#larval host plant#food source summer#food source herbage#Coastal FACW#Piedmont Mountains FACW#bird friendly#food source hard mast fruit#butterfly friendly#tsc-t#Audubon#woodland garden#dreamy duskywing butterfly#eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly#landscape plant sleuths course#wildlife friendly#cpp
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Dickinson'
    Called 'Northern Tribute', upright rounded habit, ivory bark that exfoliates to copper-bronze, borer resistant.
  • 'Duraheat'
    Somewhat smaller cultivar that features creamy white bark, tolerance to heat, insect/disease resistance and superior foliage.
  • 'Heritage'
    'Heritage' or 'Cully', vigorous, fast-growing, medium-sized, single or multi-stemmed, salmon bark exfoliates to white inner bark
  • 'Little King'
    Sold as FOX VALLEY, dense, compact (10' x 12'), multi-stemmed with irregular crown.
  • 'Little King'
  • 'Royal Frost'
  • 'Shiloh Splash' Betula nigra 'Shiloh Splash' (PP16,362)
    Variegated foliage
  • 'Statechamp'
  • 'Summer Cascade' Betula nigra 'Summer Cascade' PP15,105
    Weeping
'Dickinson', 'Duraheat', 'Heritage', 'Little King', 'Little King', 'Royal Frost', 'Shiloh Splash', 'Statechamp', 'Summer Cascade'
Tags:
#interesting bark#native tree#winter interest#tsc#fall interest#small mammals#messy#wind tolerant#fire low flammability#NC native#buffer#children's garden#playground plant#mourning cloak butterflies#naturalizes#edible seeds#shimmer#screening#Braham Arboretum#fantz#larval host plant#food source summer#food source herbage#Coastal FACW#Piedmont Mountains FACW#bird friendly#food source hard mast fruit#butterfly friendly#tsc-t#Audubon#woodland garden#dreamy duskywing butterfly#eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly#landscape plant sleuths course#wildlife friendly#cpp
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Betula
    Species:
    nigra
    Family:
    Betulaceae
    Uses (Ethnobotany):
    The wood is hard and close-grained. It is used for fuel, inexpensive furniture, basket hoops, artificial limbs, and toys. Native Americans are known to have used this tree in many different medicinal purposes. Sap can be fermented to make birch beer.
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Woody
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Seed
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Central & Eastern U.S.A
    Distribution:
    VT south to FL west to TX north through OK, NE, MI, IO, and MN
    Fire Risk Rating:
    low flammability
    Wildlife Value:
    Host plant for Mourning Cloak and Dreamy Duskywing butterflies. You may see Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) which has one flight from June-July, Dreamy Duskywing (Erynnis icelus) with one brood April-July and rarely a second in the south, and Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilo glaucus) which has three flights from February-November in the south and two flights May-September in the north. Young twigs, buds, and foliage browsed by white-tailed deer. Seeds consumed by grouse, turkey, small birds and rodents. Birds and squirrels eat the male catkins in late winter/early spring.
    Play Value:
    Buffer
    Edible fruit
    Pieces Used in Games
    Screening
    Wildlife Food Source
    Wind Break
    Wind Shimmer
    Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
    fire in the landscape.
    Dimensions:
    Height: 30 ft. 0 in. - 70 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 40 ft. 0 in. - 60 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Native Plant
    Perennial
    Tree
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Multi-trunked
    Open
    Pyramidal
    Growth Rate:
    Rapid
    Maintenance:
    Medium
    Texture:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Soil pH:
    Acid (<6.0)
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Moist
    Occasionally Dry
    Occasionally Wet
    Available Space To Plant:
    6-feet-12 feet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Fruit Value To Gardener:
    Edible
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Spring
    Summer
    Fruit Type:
    Aggregate
    Nut
    Fruit Description:
    The tree produces a 1 to 1 1/2 inch cone-like aggregate which contains 3 tiny seeds. Small nutlet, about 400,000 seeds per pound, seed is shed in the spring.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Green
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Catkin
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Flower Size:
    1-3 inches
    Flower Description:
    The River Birch has light green, 2 to 3 inch slim, cylindrical flowers and fruiting staminate catkins 2 to 3 inches long that bloom in early spring.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Green
    Leaf Feel:
    Rough
    Leaf Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
    Gold/Yellow
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Deltoid
    Ovate
    Rhomboidal
    Leaf Margin:
    Doubly Serrate
    Hairs Present:
    Yes
    Leaf Length:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Width:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Description:
    The leaf of the River Birch is 2 to 3.5 inches long with modest yellow fall color. Leaves are 0.75 to 2.5 inches wide, pointed, sharply acute, broadly cuneate to nearly truncate, glaucous with 7-9 veins underneath.
  • Bark:
    Bark Color:
    Light Brown
    Orange
    Surface/Attachment:
    Exfoliating
    Papery
    Peeling
    Ridges
    Smooth
    Bark Description:
    Provides winter interest in the landscape. Smooth on young trees, salmon to rust-colored, develops papery scales. As the tree ages, bark divides into flat, scaly ridges. The bark peels away year-round in tough, paper-like layers that remain on the tree.
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Gray/Silver
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Surface:
    Hairy (pubescent)
    Stem Description:
    The bark of branches and twigs is grayish brown and more smooth, while new shoots are light green and pubescent.
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Lawn
    Naturalized Area
    Recreational Play Area
    Riparian
    Woodland
    Landscape Theme:
    Butterfly Garden
    Children's Garden
    Edible Garden
    Native Garden
    Rain Garden
    Winter Garden
    Design Feature:
    Mass Planting
    Screen/Privacy
    Shade Tree
    Specimen
    Attracts:
    Butterflies
    Moths
    Small Mammals
    Songbirds
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Black Walnut
    Compaction
    Deer
    Diseases
    Drought
    Fire
    Heat
    Pollution
    Wet Soil
    Wind
    Problems:
    Messy