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.

• Grows up to 40-70 ft. tall (12-21 m) and 40-60 ft. tall (12-18 m).
• A full sun or part shade lover, this plant is easily grown in average, wet soils. Adaptable and heat tolerant, this river birch will grow in a wide range of situations, including semi-aquatic conditions, but performs best in moist, slightly acidic soils. Use soaker hoses and bark mulches to keep the root zones cool and moist.
• Perfect as a specimen plant or in borders, along ponds and streams, cottage gardens, and foundation plantings.
• Low maintenance, this plant needs little pruning. If pruning is necessary, prune during the dormant season and avoid pruning in spring when the sap is running.
• May be affected by sawflies, aphids, rust, and leaf spot.
• Propagate by softwood cuttings or grafting
• Native to central and eastern USA