Betula nigra
$419.99
River birch is a fast-growing deciduous tree with a broad crown, yellow fall foliage, and salmon-cinnamon bark that peels in papery layers.
- Description
- Additional information
Description
Betula nigra is a large, fast-growing river birch valued for colorful exfoliating bark and a graceful pyramidal-to-rounded crown. Young trunks peel in papery salmon, cinnamon, brown, gray, and silvery layers, while older bark becomes darker and scaly. Green, doubly serrated leaves turn yellow in fall, and spring catkins are followed by small cone-like seed structures. Give this tree substantial space in full sun or partial shade and moist soil that drains well. It performs in clay, loam, or sand and is especially useful in rain gardens, riparian buffers, woodland edges, and broad screens. Consistent moisture supports the best growth, while the seeds and foliage support wildlife.
Additional information
| Height | 900 cm – 2100 cm |
|---|---|
| Spread | 1200 cm – 1800 cm |
| Synonyms | Betula nigra '(clump)', Betula rubra |
| Family | Betulaceae |
| Propagation | Sow seed thinly on a prepared seed tray, then move seedlings into individual pots when large enough to handle and overwinter them in a cold frame. |
| Pests | Aphids, leaf miners, and birch skeletonizer may occur; the species is resistant to bronze birch borer. |
| Diseases | Leaf spot, tree rust, powdery mildew, and honey fungus may occur. |
| Pruning | If pruning is needed, do it in summer after sap flow has eased; avoid winter and spring cuts because the tree bleeds. |
| Hazardous | unknown |
| Variegated | unknown |
| Watering instructions | Keep the root zone consistently moist but well drained, especially during establishment and summer heat. |
| Sunlight instructions | Grow in full sun or partial shade; full sun gives the strongest foliage color. |
| Color flower spring | Green, Brown, Yellow |
| Aspect | East, South, West, North |
| Foliage | Deciduous |
| Habit | Bushy |
| Moisture | Moist but Well Drained |
| Ph | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
| Position | Full sun, Partial shade |
| Shape | Oval, Round, Pyramidal |
| Suggest planting location | Woodland Garden, Hedges and screening plants, Cottage and informal gardens, Wildlife friendly gardens, Rain Garden |
| Type | Tree |
| Use for | Butterfly-Friendly, Bird-Friendly, Erosion Control |
| Years to max height | 20 |
| Cultivation | Plant in a spacious site with moist but well-drained soil, keep the root zone cool and consistently moist, and prune only in summer if needed to avoid heavy sap bleeding. |
| Soil | Clay, Loam, Sand |
| Local names | River Birch, Red Birch, Black Birch, Water Birch |
| Blomidon Item No | BETNI050WB, BETNI070WB, BETNI050WB-MULTI, BETNI060WB-MULTI |
| Usps | Peeling salmon-cinnamon bark gives the trunk strong year-round interest., Its broad crown suits rain gardens and riparian screens. |