Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen, Grass
Tree
Origin
Mexico
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Types
Otatea acuminata ssp. acuminata, Otatea acuminata ssp. aztecorum, Otatea acuminata 'Dwarf'
-
Number of Varieties
203
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Subtropical climates, tropical environments
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-124-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10 - 7
9-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 9, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Weeping
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Yellow green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Yellow green
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Yellow green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long linear and narrow
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
-
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Divison
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Never Over-water
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune every year, Prune to control growth, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Requires high amount of nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Mealybugs
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Flowers
-
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Fine
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Mealybugs
-
Allergy
Skin irritation
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Windbreak
Erosion control, Wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Whole plant
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Tropical
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
OTATEA acuminata
BETULA nigra
Common Name
Clumping Bamboo, Mexican Weeping Bamboo
River Birch
In Hindi
मैक्सिकन बांस
River Birch
In German
Mexican Bambus
Fluss Birch
In French
Bamboo mexicaine
Birch river
In Spanish
bambú mexicana
river Birch
In Greek
Μεξικού μπαμπού
ποταμός Birch
In Portuguese
Bamboo Mexican
river Birch
In Polish
Mexican Bamboo
Rzeka Birch
In Latin
Mexicanus Bamboo
Betula
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Poales
Fagales
Family
Poaceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Otatea
Betula
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
553
1
27800
👆🏻