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 | Birch, River 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 | Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Midwest, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Northeast, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Southeast, Southwest, Tennessee, Texas, United States, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin |
Tolerance | Drought, Deer, Clay Soil, Wet Soil |
Garden Uses | Beds And Borders, Ponds And Streams, Rain Gardens |
Garden Styles | Informal and Cottage, Traditional Garden |
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 | Birch, River 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 | Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Midwest, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Northeast, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Southeast, Southwest, Tennessee, Texas, United States, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin |
Tolerance | Drought, Deer, Clay Soil, Wet Soil |
Garden Uses | Beds And Borders, Ponds And Streams, Rain Gardens |
Garden Styles | Informal and Cottage, Traditional Garden |
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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