Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Perennial
Origin
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Europe
Types
-
-
Number of Varieties
36
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
dry rocky watercourses
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-93-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
8-1
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
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm71.10 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,220.00 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Brown
Blue Violet, Lavender, Purple, White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Black
Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Sea Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green, Sea Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Green, Sea Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Lanceolate to elliptical
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Rhizome division
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
Average Water Needs
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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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
Aphids, Bacterial leaf spot, Billbugs, Borers, Fungal leaf spots
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Butterflies
Allergy
Asthma
Gastric disturbances, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Erosion control, Wildlife
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Juice of fresh root used for treatment of dropsy
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Root
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Making Perfumes, Used as a flavouring in food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Cutflower, Feature Plant, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
BETULA nigra
Iris germanica
Common Name
River Birch
German Iris
In Hindi
River Birch
German Iris
In German
Fluss Birch
German Iris
In French
Birch river
German Iris
In Spanish
river Birch
German Iris
In Greek
ποταμός Birch
German Iris
In Portuguese
river Birch
German Iris
In Polish
Rzeka Birch
German Iris
In Latin
Betula
German Iris
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Fagales
Asparagales
Family
Betulaceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Betula
Iris
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Irideae
Subfamily
-
Iridoideae
Number of Species
3300
1
27800
👆🏻