Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Origin
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
North America, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Canada
Habitat
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
Woodland Garden Canopy
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-9
3-11
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
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Upright/Erect
Flower Color
Yellow, Brown
Tan, Sandy Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Black
Green, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Yellow, Green
Leaf Shape
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
oblong or obovate
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
-
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Spring
Early Spring, Spring
Tolerances
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
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 pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full 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
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Blackspot mold
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Showy Foliage
Yes
Insignificant
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Attracts
-
Beetles, Birds
Allergy
Asthma
Miscarriage, Rash
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Beautiful Skin, Heals Damaged Hair, Strong, beautiful hair
Environmental Uses
Erosion control, Wildlife
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
-
Demulcent, Diuretic, Expectorant, Nutritive
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Fruits, Inner Bark, Leaves
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Chewed as a thirst quencher, Tea-like beverage can be brewed, Used as a thickener in soups, Used to make a twine
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Shade Trees
Botanical Name
BETULA nigra
ULMUS rubra
Common Name
River Birch
Slippery Elm
In Hindi
River Birch
Slippery Elm
In German
Fluss Birch
Rotulme
In French
Birch river
Slippery Elm
In Spanish
river Birch
olmo resbaladizo
In Greek
ποταμός Birch
Slippery Elm
In Portuguese
river Birch
Slippery Elm
In Polish
Rzeka Birch
Slippery Elm
In Latin
Betula
Lubricus Elm
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Family
Betulaceae
Ulmaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Season and Care of River Birch and Slippery Elm
Season and care of River Birch and Slippery Elm is important to know. While considering everything about River Birch and Slippery Elm Care, growing season is an essential factor. River Birch season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter and Slippery Elm season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. The type of soil for River Birch is Clay, Loam, Sand and for Slippery Elm is Clay, Loam, Sand while the PH of soil for River Birch is Acidic, Neutral and for Slippery Elm is Neutral, Alkaline.
River Birch and Slippery Elm Physical Information
River Birch and Slippery Elm physical information is very important for comparison. River Birch height is 1,220.00 cm and width 1,220.00 cm whereas Slippery Elm height is 1,830.00 cm and width 8.50 cm. The color specification of River Birch and Slippery Elm are as follows:
River Birch flower color: Yellow and Brown
River Birch leaf color: Green and Light Green
Slippery Elm flower color: Tan and Sandy Brown
- Slippery Elm leaf color: Green
Care of River Birch and Slippery Elm
Care of River Birch and Slippery Elm include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. River Birch pruning is done Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts and Shape and thin as needed and Slippery Elm pruning is done Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches and Remove dead leaves. In summer River Birch needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water. Whereas, in summer Slippery Elm needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water.