Meet the River Birch
River Birch | Betula nigra
How do you know it’s me?:
I am a medium-large deciduous tree, typically multi-trunked.
I have showy, peeling bark in shades of grey and cinnamon-brown. It has a papery texture.
My inconspicuous spring flowers are called “catkins” - they’re a cylindrical shape and a gold/green color. The female flowers are upright, while the male flowers droop.
I produce little brown seed capsules from my female flowers in spring and summer. They are not a noticeable feature.
My alternate leaves have a rough texture and serrated edges. They’re an oval to wedge shape.
How big do I grow?: 30’ - 70’ height and 40’ - 60’ spread.
Sun-seeker or shade-lover: Full sun to part shade.
Where I prefer to put my roots: My ideal conditions are moist, acidic loam soils with a sandy or rocky texture. I am tolerant of wet soils.
Hardiness: Zone 4-9
Original home: I am native to the eastern and midwestern US.
Colors: My green flowers are inconspicuous, but I have yellow fall color.
When I bloom: Spring.
Wildlife friends: I am a host plant for certain butterfly species, and my seeds are consumed by both large and small birds and rodents. Squirrels will even eat my catkins (the male flower structures).
Flora Fun Facts: My bark and leaves from this tree were used by Native Americans for stomach and urinary tract issues.
More Info: The river birch - an adaptable and ecologically significant native tree - is aesthetically admired for its bark, which peels off in great, papery flakes and reveals deep cinnamon tones that will help brighten a winter landscape. It has an open and looser form than many shade trees, creating a great environment below for plants that enjoy dappled sunlight.
A member of the Betulaceae (birch) family.
Possibly the most heat tolerant of the birch tree species, which tend to thrive in cooler climates. Cultivars like ‘Duraheat’ perform well in the southeast US up to zone 9, and has disease resistance, and the ‘Heritage’ cultivar is known for its fall color and especially showy bark.
A great native tree selection for a rain garden, naturalized area, riparian area, or as a shade tree.
This birch is resistant to the bronze birch borer, a pest that infects many other birch trees.
