Which Birch to Choose for my Garden?
Betula, Birches, Betula pendula, Betula utilis, Betula utilis var. jacquemontii, Betula ermanii, Betula dahurica, Betula albosinensis, Betula nigra
Few trees are more spectacular in winter than birches (Betula). Tall, slender, and elegant, they lavishly exhibit their peeling bark in a rich display of stark white, salmon-pink, copper, cinnamon-red, or glistening chestnut brown. A most welcomed sight during the dreary winter months! Birches are also wonderful in the spring and summer as their graceful, airy crowns are draped with catkins and their small pointed leaves rustle in the slightest breeze. Fall brings glorious golden shades to their foliage before it sheds to the ground. Impervious to cold and wet, easy to grow, low maintenance, and deer resistant, birches are terrific additions to the landscape. Often grown as specimen trees, they look spectacular when planted in groups of three or more.
Main Birch Varieties in our Landscapes
With over 60 known species and a profusion of cultivars, Betula is a large family of deciduous trees and shrubs. The species below are those most frequently grown in our gardens.
Betula ermanii (Erman's Birch)
Betula ermanii (Erman's Birch) is a graceful medium-sized birch with peeling creamy bark on the trunk, delicately touched with copper-pink tones, and papery brown bark on the branches. Featuring a stately and broadly conical habit, it bears large, coarsely toothed, heart-shaped, bright green leaves, which turn a wonderful golden yellow in fall. Attractive in all seasons but particularly brilliant in winter, this elegant birch tree will lift your garden, whether you grow it as a single or multi-stemmed specimen.
Add to Any Collection
My CollectionHardiness | 5 - 8 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Height | 50' - 70' (15m - 21m) |
Spread | 20' - 30' (6m - 9m) |
Betula nigra (River Birch)
Betula nigra (River Birch) is a bushy deciduous tree prized for its incredible peeling bark. Salmon-pink, smooth and shiny at first, the bark flakes and curls in cinnamon-brown to blackish sheets. Vigorous and fast-growing, this birch has a large, pyramidal, upright habit and bears diamond-shaped, glossy green leaves with silvery undersides, which turn yellow in fall. Perfect for wet soils, this birch can tolerate locations with drier soils and is perhaps the most culturally adaptable and heat tolerant of the birches.
Add to Any Collection
My CollectionHardiness | 4 - 9 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Height | 40' - 70' (12m - 21m) |
Spread | 40' - 60' (12m - 18m) |
Betula papyrifera (Paper Birch)
Betula papyrifera, commonly called paper birch or canoe birch, is a robust, fast-growing landscaping tree with a most attractive gleaming white bark, which peels off in papery strips to reveal an orange-brown bark underneath. Growing with an oval rounded habit, mature trees develop black markings on the white bark. The ovate, irregularly toothed, dark green leaves turn bright yellow in fall. Exceptionally hardy, paper birch performs best in cool northern climates where root zones are often covered with snow in the winter and does poorly in heat and humid areas.
Add to Any Collection
My CollectionHardiness | 2 - 7 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Height | 50' - 70' (15m - 21m) |
Spread | 25' - 50' (7.5m - 15m) |
Betula pendula (Silver Birch)
Betula pendula, commonly called silver birch or European white birch, is a graceful medium-sized tree with slender pendulous branches and attractive bark. Golden brown on twigs and young branches, the bark matures to silvery white with black clefts. Smooth in young trees, the bark gets rugged at the base in older trees. Featuring an elegant, pyramidal to oval, rounded habit, it bears ovate, toothed, glossy green leaves, which turn yellow in fall before they shed for the winter. Attractive in all seasons, this elegant birch tree is an excellent small landscape tree in cool northern climates.
Add to Any Collection
My CollectionHardiness | 2 - 7 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Height | 30' - 40' (9m - 12m) |
Spread | 15' - 30' (4.5m - 9m) |
Betula platyphylla (Japanese White Birch)
Betula platyphylla, commonly called Japanese white birch, is a medium to large-sized tree noted for its white bark, thin spreading branches, and slightly pendant branchlets. Featuring an elegant, pyramidal habit, it bears ovate, toothed, lime-green leaves, 3 in. long (7 cm), with some golden-yellow fall color before they shed for the winter. Attractive in all seasons, this elegant birch tree is an excellent landscape tree in cool northern climates.
Add to Any Collection
My CollectionHardiness | 4 - 7 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Height | 30' - 40' (9m - 12m) |
Spread | 15' - 25' (4.5m - 7.5m) |
Betula utilis var. jacquemontii (Himalayan Birch)
Betula utilis var. jacquemontii (Himalayan Birch), prized for its brilliant and exceptionally white bark, is a lovely addition to the landscape. While young trees have a rich brown bark, it quickly changes to gleaming snow-white as the tree matures. Vigorous and fast-growing, this medium-sized deciduous tree has an open pyramidal habit with graceful and delicate branching. It bears alternately arranged, ovate, dark green leaves, which turn bright yellow in fall. Not surprisingly, this is one of the most popular birch trees. Exceptionally hardy, it performs best in cool northern climates and does poorly in the heat and humid areas.
Add to Any Collection
My CollectionHardiness | 4 - 7 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Height | 30' - 40' (9m - 12m) |
Spread | 20' - 25' (6m - 7.5m) |
Exfoliating Bark
Birch bark becomes an important ornamental element in winter when the shedding of leaves exposes trunks and branches and reveals its glory. From warty to smooth, peeling to furrowed, tobacco to cinnamon-red, salmon-pink, or stark white, the variety of bark colors and textures is fascinating. Often, varying bark textures can be admired on the same tree, and this adds a most attractive and stunning character during winter. Don't overlook the lenticels, those pleasing raised bands irregularly arranged along the surface of the bark.
White-barked birches are highly popular among gardeners who love the appearance of snow-white trunks gleaming in the winter light. The whitest bark of all birches belongs to the Himalayan birch, Betula utilis. If your preference is for such birches, you need to be aware that the silver-white bark appears only after the tree has matured and reached its 5th year or more. Some patience will be needed!
Birches with White Barks
Betula 'White Satin' (Birch)
Gracefully elegant, Betula 'White Satin' or 'Madison' is a remarkable birch noted for its beautiful satin-white bark. Vigorous and fast-growing, this medium-sized cultivar forms a dense, deciduous, multi-stemmed tree with a uniform, upright pyramidal habit. The foliage of leathery, diamond-shaped, bright green leaves deepens to dark green as the season progresses before turning golden-yellow in fall. Easy to grow, 'White Satin' enjoys an excellent resistance to birch borer.
Add to Any Collection
My CollectionHardiness | 4 - 7 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Height | 30' - 40' (9m - 12m) |
Spread | 20' (6m) |
Betula ermanii 'Grayswood Hill' (Erman's Birch)
Award-winning Betula ermanii 'Grayswood Hill' is a particularly desirable birch with peeling, luminescent creamy-white bark tinted orange with pinkish lenticels (bumpy lines). Vigorous and fast-growing, this medium-sized deciduous tree has an open, slender habit and bears oval, glossy, rich green leaves, 4 in. long (10 cm), which turn a wonderful butter-yellow in fall before they shed for the winter. In spring, tiny yellowish-brown male flowers appear in drooping catkins. Providing interest year-round, this birch tree is particularly appealing in the fall and winter with its golden canopy and stunning velvety creamy-white bark. It may take five years for the bark to color well.
Add to Any Collection
My CollectionHardiness | 6 - 9 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Height | 30' - 40' (9m - 12m) |
Spread | 30' (9m) |
Betula papyrifera (Paper Birch)
Betula papyrifera, commonly called paper birch or canoe birch, is a robust, fast-growing landscaping tree with a most attractive gleaming white bark, which peels off in papery strips to reveal an orange-brown bark underneath. Growing with an oval rounded habit, mature trees develop black markings on the white bark. The ovate, irregularly toothed, dark green leaves turn bright yellow in fall. Exceptionally hardy, paper birch performs best in cool northern climates where root zones are often covered with snow in the winter and does poorly in heat and humid areas.
Add to Any Collection
My CollectionHardiness | 2 - 7 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Height | 50' - 70' (15m - 21m) |
Spread | 25' - 50' (7.5m - 15m) |
Betula pendula (Silver Birch)
Betula pendula, commonly called silver birch or European white birch, is a graceful medium-sized tree with slender pendulous branches and attractive bark. Golden brown on twigs and young branches, the bark matures to silvery white with black clefts. Smooth in young trees, the bark gets rugged at the base in older trees. Featuring an elegant, pyramidal to oval, rounded habit, it bears ovate, toothed, glossy green leaves, which turn yellow in fall before they shed for the winter. Attractive in all seasons, this elegant birch tree is an excellent small landscape tree in cool northern climates.
Add to Any Collection
My CollectionHardiness | 2 - 7 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Height | 30' - 40' (9m - 12m) |
Spread | 15' - 30' (4.5m - 9m) |
Betula platyphylla (Japanese White Birch)
Betula platyphylla, commonly called Japanese white birch, is a medium to large-sized tree noted for its white bark, thin spreading branches, and slightly pendant branchlets. Featuring an elegant, pyramidal habit, it bears ovate, toothed, lime-green leaves, 3 in. long (7 cm), with some golden-yellow fall color before they shed for the winter. Attractive in all seasons, this elegant birch tree is an excellent landscape tree in cool northern climates.
Add to Any Collection
My CollectionHardiness | 4 - 7 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Height | 30' - 40' (9m - 12m) |
Spread | 15' - 25' (4.5m - 7.5m) |
Betula utilis var. jacquemontii 'Doorenbos' (Himalayan Birch)
Award-winning Betula utilis var. jacquemontii 'Doorenbos' features attractive, crisp white bark on trunk and branches, even on young specimens. Luminescent, the bark peels off to reveal pale orange hues before turning bright white. It contrasts very nicely with the summer canopy of ovate, glossy, dark green leaves. The foliage turns golden-yellow in fall before shedding for the winter. In spring, tiny yellowish-brown male flowers appear in conspicuous catkins, 6 in. long (15 cm). Vigorous and fast-growing, this medium-sized deciduous tree has an oval crown with gracefully ascending branches. It can be grown as a single-stemmed tree and makes a beautiful multi-stemmed specimen. Highly popular, this birch is much loved for its graceful appearance, particularly in winter.
Add to Any Collection
My CollectionHardiness | 5 - 7 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Height | 30' - 50' (9m - 15m) |
Spread | 30' - 33' (9m - 10m) |
Betula utilis var. jacquemontii 'Grayswood Ghost' (Himalayan Birch)
Award-winning Betula utilis var. jacquemontii 'Grayswood Ghost' features one of the whitest bark of all birches. Luminescent, its "ghostly white," smooth bark provides a lovely contrast with its dense summer canopy of large, very glossy, rich green leaves, 5 in. long (12 cm). The foliage often turns bright yellow in fall before shedding for the winter. In early spring, tiny yellowish-brown male flowers appear in conspicuous catkins. Vigorous, this medium-sized deciduous tree has a conical crown and is best grown as a specimen, where its stark white bark can be admired. The white bark develops fully when the tree is around 8 years old.
Add to Any Collection
My CollectionHardiness | 5 - 7 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Height | 30' - 50' (9m - 15m) |
Spread | 30' - 33' (9m - 10m) |
Betula utilis var. jacquemontii (Himalayan Birch)
Betula utilis var. jacquemontii (Himalayan Birch), prized for its brilliant and exceptionally white bark, is a lovely addition to the landscape. While young trees have a rich brown bark, it quickly changes to gleaming snow-white as the tree matures. Vigorous and fast-growing, this medium-sized deciduous tree has an open pyramidal habit with graceful and delicate branching. It bears alternately arranged, ovate, dark green leaves, which turn bright yellow in fall. Not surprisingly, this is one of the most popular birch trees. Exceptionally hardy, it performs best in cool northern climates and does poorly in the heat and humid areas.
Add to Any Collection
My CollectionHardiness | 4 - 7 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Height | 30' - 40' (9m - 12m) |
Spread | 20' - 25' (6m - 7.5m) |
Birches with Salmon Barks
Betula 'Fascination' (Birch)
Award-winning Betula 'Fascination' is a very rewarding birch, noted for its attractive gleaming orange copper bark, which peels off to reveal another layer of pink and cream bark. As the tree matures, the bark quickly changes to bright white and contrasts nicely with the tree canopy. Vigorous and fast-growing, this medium-sized deciduous tree features a pyramidal habit with stiffly ascending branches. It bears large, dark green leaves, which turn bright yellow in fall before they shed for the winter. In spring, tiny yellowish-brown male flowers appear in drooping catkins, 4 in. long (10 cm). Providing interest year-round, this birch tree deserves a prominent spot in the landscape where its natural beauty can be enjoyed day after day.
Add to Any Collection
My CollectionHardiness | 5 - 8 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Height | 20' - 40' (6m - 12m) |
Spread | 20' - 25' (6m - 7.5m) |
Betula albosinensis var. septentrionalis (Chinese Red Birch)
Betula albosinensis var. septentrionalis is an exquisite Chinese red birch with a most attractive peeling bark, a lovely mix of coppery-pink and cinnamon-brown with translucent golden edges. The effect is most spectacular when backlit by the setting sun. The oval leaves emerge emerald green in spring, and mature to unusual sea green in summer, before turning a beautiful, pale yellow in fall. In spring, tiny yellowish-brown male flowers appear in slender catkins. Vigorous, this medium-sized deciduous tree has an open, conical habit. Provide plenty of space to fully enjoy the beautiful trunk and the graceful and delicate branching.
Add to Any Collection
My CollectionHardiness | 3 - 8 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Height | 30' - 50' (9m - 15m) |
Spread | 30' - 40' (9m - 12m) |
Betula ermanii (Erman's Birch)
Betula ermanii (Erman's Birch) is a graceful medium-sized birch with peeling creamy bark on the trunk, delicately touched with copper-pink tones, and papery brown bark on the branches. Featuring a stately and broadly conical habit, it bears large, coarsely toothed, heart-shaped, bright green leaves, which turn a wonderful golden yellow in fall. Attractive in all seasons but particularly brilliant in winter, this elegant birch tree will lift your garden, whether you grow it as a single or multi-stemmed specimen.
Add to Any Collection
My CollectionHardiness | 5 - 8 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Height | 50' - 70' (15m - 21m) |
Spread | 20' - 30' (6m - 9m) |
Betula nigra 'Heritage' (River Birch)
Betula nigra 'Heritage' is a beautiful river birch prized for its incredible peeling bark. Salmon-cream to brownish at first, it exfoliates to reveal a creamy-white inner bark that can almost rival the European white birches. Vigorous and fast-growing, this medium-sized deciduous tree has a large, pyramidal, upright habit. The foliage of diamond-shaped, serrated bright green leaves deepens to dark green as the season progresses, before turning pale yellow in fall. It can be grown as either a single trunk or a multi-stemmed tree. Perfect for wet soils, 'Heritage' can tolerate locations with drier soils and is extremely resistant to bronze birch borer and leaf spot diseases.
Add to Any Collection
My CollectionHardiness | 4 - 9 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Height | 40' - 70' (12m - 21m) |
Spread | 40' - 60' (12m - 18m) |
Betula nigra 'Little King' FOX VALLEY (River Birch)
Compact, Betula nigra 'Little King' or Fox Valley River Birch, is a particularly handsome river birch prized for its attractive peeling bark. Pale salmon and reddish-brown at first, the bark exfoliates to reveal lighter inner bark. Vigorous and fast-growing, this dwarf cultivar forms a dense, deciduous, multi-stemmed tree with a uniform broad-pyramidal to broad-rounded habit. The foliage of leathery, diamond-shaped, bright green leaves deepens to dark green as the season progresses, before turning pale yellow in fall. Perfect for wet soils, 'Little King' can tolerate locations with drier soils.
Add to Any Collection
My CollectionHardiness | 4 - 9 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Height | 8' - 10' (240cm - 3m) |
Spread | 8' - 10' (240cm - 3m) |
Betula nigra (River Birch)
Betula nigra (River Birch) is a bushy deciduous tree prized for its incredible peeling bark. Salmon-pink, smooth and shiny at first, the bark flakes and curls in cinnamon-brown to blackish sheets. Vigorous and fast-growing, this birch has a large, pyramidal, upright habit and bears diamond-shaped, glossy green leaves with silvery undersides, which turn yellow in fall. Perfect for wet soils, this birch can tolerate locations with drier soils and is perhaps the most culturally adaptable and heat tolerant of the birches.
Add to Any Collection
My CollectionHardiness | 4 - 9 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Height | 40' - 70' (12m - 21m) |
Spread | 40' - 60' (12m - 18m) |
Birches with Red Barks
Betula albosinensis 'Red Panda' (Chinese Red Birch)
Award-winning Betula albosinensis 'Red Panda' features a most attractive coppery-pink bark with subtle shades of caramel and honey, and abundant white lenticels (bumpy lines). The eye-catching bark provides a very nice contrast with the summer canopy of oval, tapering, dark green leaves, 3 in. long (7 cm). The foliage turns golden-yellow in fall before shedding for the winter. In spring, tiny yellowish-brown male flowers appear in drooping catkins. Vigorous, this medium-sized deciduous tree has a conical, upright, lightly spreading, bushy habit and is best grown as a specimen in a large lawn, where its glowing peeling bark can be admired in winter.
Add to Any Collection
My CollectionHardiness | 5 - 8 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Height | 30' - 50' (9m - 15m) |
Spread | 30' - 33' (9m - 10m) |
Betula utilis (Himalayan Birch)
Betula utilis or albosinensis is an exquisite birch recognizable for its distinctive coppery to orange-red bark, which peels off in thin sheets to reveal a fresh cream-pink surface beneath. This happens on both the trunk and branches. The glossy oval leaves emerge emerald green in spring and turn a beautiful golden-yellow in fall before being shed. In spring, tiny male and female flowers appear in long catkins. Vigorous, this deciduous tree captures the attention of those who encounter it.
Add to Any Collection
My CollectionHardiness | 3 - 8 |
---|---|
Exposure | Full Sun , Partial Sun |
Height | 40' - 70' (12m - 21m) |
Spread | 20' - 25' (6m - 7.5m) |
How to grow Birches
- Sun to light dappled shade lovers, birches are easily grown in average, medium to wet soils. They are not fussy about soils and tolerate a wide range of conditions. They like consistently moist soils after planting, but will withstand some drought once established. Betula alleghaniensis, Betula dahurica and Betula nigra are excellent choices for damp (but not waterlogged) soils.
- Most birches are exceptionally cold-hardy. Betula pendula and Betula papyrifera can be grown in Zone 2. Some are heat tolerant such as Betula nigra.
- Birches require little care. If pruning is necessary, prune during the dormant season and avoid pruning in spring when the sap is running.
- Birches may be affected by sawflies, aphids, rust, and leaf spot.
- Propagate by softwood cuttings or grafting
- Birches do not transplant easily. Plant bare-root trees only when small. Pot-grown plants should establish easily as long as they are well watered after planting.
- Birches are shallow rooted, therefore many herbaceous plants struggle when planted close to their roots, but spring bulbs such as Cyclamen coum will thrive.
Keeping a Fantastic Birch Bark
- To produce a tree with a pretty bark, it is often best to prune off the lower branches when young. This will minimize the branch scars, keeping them relatively small and inconspicuous.
- It is important to prune your birch when it is in full leaf (except for the smallest twigs). Cuts made in late winter and spring, as the leaves are developing, will cause excessive bleeding of sap and weaken the tree.
- White-barked trees can have their trunks washed with warm water to remove any excessive algae build-up, before the return of winter.
- Avoid peeling off bark by hand, as this may damage the tree.
Garden Examples
Guide Information
Hardiness |
2 - 9
|
---|---|
Heat Zones |
1 - 8
|
Climate Zones | 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, A1, A2 |
Plant Type | Trees |
Plant Family | Betula - Birches |
Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Early,Mid,Late) Summer (Early,Mid,Late) Fall Winter |
Water Needs | Average |
Maintenance | Low |
Soil Type | Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand |
Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Showy |
Tolerance | Deer, Drought, Rabbit |
Landscaping Ideas | Beds and Borders |
Garden Styles | City and Courtyard, Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow, Traditional Garden |
jamescade / 123RF Stock Photo
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.
Guide Information
Hardiness |
2 - 9
|
---|---|
Heat Zones |
1 - 8
|
Climate Zones | 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, A1, A2 |
Plant Type | Trees |
Plant Family | Betula - Birches |
Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Early,Mid,Late) Summer (Early,Mid,Late) Fall Winter |
Water Needs | Average |
Maintenance | Low |
Soil Type | Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand |
Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Showy |
Tolerance | Deer, Drought, Rabbit |
Landscaping Ideas | Beds and Borders |
Garden Styles | City and Courtyard, Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow, Traditional Garden |
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