Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Broadleaf Evergreen
Origin
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Australia
Types
-
Acacia retinodes retinodes, Acacia retinodes uncifolia
Number of Varieties
32
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
open forests
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-98-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
-
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
8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Oval/Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm530.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,220.00 cm530.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Brown
Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Black
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Blue Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Blue Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Blue Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Blue Green, Gray 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
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
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, Summer, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
Allow soil to be completely dry in between waterings
In Summer
Lots of watering
Xeric/Desert, Drought Tolerant
In Spring
Moderate
Adequately
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
Pruning
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
Prune after flowering
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Red spider mite
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Drought, Salt
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
-
Allergy
Asthma
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Erosion control, Wildlife
Windbreak
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Flowers, Seeds
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used as a dye
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Mixed Border, Screening, Wind Break
Botanical Name
BETULA nigra
Acacia retinodes
Common Name
River Birch
Ever-blooming Wattle, Silver Wattle, Water Wattle
In Hindi
River Birch
Silver Wattle
In German
Fluss Birch
Silver Wattle
In French
Birch river
Mimosa d'été
In Spanish
river Birch
acacia amarilla
In Greek
ποταμός Birch
ασήμι μιμόζα
In Portuguese
river Birch
Acacia retinodes
In Polish
Rzeka Birch
Silver Wattle
In Latin
Betula
Silver Wattle
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fagales
Fabales
Family
Betulaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Betula
Acacia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
3950
1
27800
👆🏻