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. 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.

This elegant birch tree is attractive in all seasons and is an excellent landscape tree in cool northern climates.

The birch family, Betulaceae, includes well-known birch trees such as River Birch, Paper Birch, Yellow Birch, and Silver Birch, all prized for their attractive bark, graceful form, and adaptability to various landscapes.

• Grows up to 30-40 ft. tall (9-12 m) and 15-25 ft. wide (4.5-7.5 m).
• A full sun or part shade lover, this plant is easily grown in medium to wet, well-drained soils. Tolerates a wide range of soils. It tolerates some dry soils but is best in consistently moist ones.
• Perfect as a specimen plant or in 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 seed, softwood cuttings, or grafting
• Native to Northeast China, Korea, and Japan