Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Epiphyte
Origin
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Southeastern United States, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
Types
-
-
Number of Varieties
33
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-910-13
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
12-9
Sunset Zone
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
H1, H2, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,220.00 cm25.60 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Brown
White, Burgundy, Dark Red, Light Green, Violet, Dark Salmon
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Multi-Color
Fruit Color
Black
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Long Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
-
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Bulbs, By dividing rhizomes, tubers, Divison
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, 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
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
-
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Drought
Flowers
Showy
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
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Bees, pollinators
Allergy
Asthma
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Bouquets, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Erosion control, Wildlife
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Cancer, Eye Problems
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Bulbs, Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
BETULA nigra
PROSTHECHEA cochleata
Common Name
River Birch
Clamshell Orchid, Cockleshell Orchid, Black Orchid
In Hindi
River Birch
Clamshell Orchid
In German
Fluss Birch
Clamshell Orchid
In French
Birch river
Clamshell Orchid
In Spanish
river Birch
Clamshell Orchid
In Greek
ποταμός Birch
Encyclia Cochleata
In Portuguese
river Birch
Clamshell Orchid
In Polish
Rzeka Birch
Clamshell Orchid
In Latin
Betula
Clamshell Orchid
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Fagales
Orchidales
Family
Betulaceae
Orchidaceae
Genus
Betula
Prosthechea
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Epidendreae
Subfamily
-
Epidendroideae
Number of Species
350
1
27800
👆🏻