River Birch, Black 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. In spring, tiny yellowish-brown male flowers appear in drooping catkins while greenish female flowers appear in upright catkins. The female flowers give way to drooping cone-like fruits containing numerous small winged seeds.
River birch can be grown as either a single trunk or multi-stemmed tree. 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.
Hardiness |
4 - 9 |
---|---|
Heat Zones |
1 - 9 |
Climate Zones | 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 |
Plant Type | Trees |
Plant Family | Betulaceae |
Genus | Betula |
Common names | River Birch, Birch |
Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
Season of Interest | Spring (Early, Mid, Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall, Winter |
Height | 40' - 70' (12.2m - 21.3m) |
Spread | 40' - 60' (12.2m - 18.3m) |
Maintenance | Low |
Water Needs | Average, High |
Soil Type | Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand |
Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained, Moisture Retentive, Poorly Drained, Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Showy |
Native Plants | United States, New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Southeast, Southwest, Midwest, Northeast, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio, Alabama, Kentucky, Georgia, Florida, Arkansas, Louisiana, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, Mississippi, Texas, Oklahoma |
Tolerance | Drought, Deer, Clay Soil, Wet Soil |
Garden Uses | Beds And Borders, Ponds And Streams, Rain Gardens |
Garden Styles | Traditional Garden, Informal and Cottage |
Hardiness |
4 - 9 |
---|---|
Heat Zones |
1 - 9 |
Climate Zones | 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 |
Plant Type | Trees |
Plant Family | Betulaceae |
Genus | Betula |
Common names | River Birch, Birch |
Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
Season of Interest | Spring (Early, Mid, Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall, Winter |
Height | 40' - 70' (12.2m - 21.3m) |
Spread | 40' - 60' (12.2m - 18.3m) |
Maintenance | Low |
Water Needs | Average, High |
Soil Type | Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand |
Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained, Moisture Retentive, Poorly Drained, Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Showy |
Native Plants | United States, New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Southeast, Southwest, Midwest, Northeast, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio, Alabama, Kentucky, Georgia, Florida, Arkansas, Louisiana, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, Mississippi, Texas, Oklahoma |
Tolerance | Drought, Deer, Clay Soil, Wet Soil |
Garden Uses | Beds And Borders, Ponds And Streams, Rain Gardens |
Garden Styles | Traditional Garden, Informal and Cottage |
How many Betula nigra (River Birch) do I need for my garden?
Plant | Quantity | |
---|---|---|
Betula nigra (River Birch) | N/A | Buy Plants |
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Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.
Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.
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