Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tender Perennial
Origin
Northern Europe, Russia/Siberia
North America, Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
Types
Young's weeping birch, Ornäs Birch
Cryptanthus 'Absolute Zero'
Cryptanthus 'Agate'
Cryptanthus 'Alberta'
Cryptanthus 'Alpine Frost'
Number of Varieties
60480
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Sunny Edge, Woodland Garden Canopy
Lowland evergreen rainforest, Rainforest, Shaded sites, Wild
USDA Hardiness Zone
2-7-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
7-1
-
Sunset Zone
A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
-
Habit
Pyramidal
-
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm20.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
610.00 cm15.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Green
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Black
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Light Yellow, Yellow green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Double-toothed, serrated
Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
-
Growth Rate
Medium
-
Type of Soil
Loam
-
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
-
Soil Drainage
Average
-
Bloom Time
Spring
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Cuttings, Leaf Cutting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Water more in summer
Average Water Needs, Do not water excessively, Keep the Soil well drained
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
-
Soil Type
Loam
-
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
-
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
-
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Pinch or prune as they grow to promote branching and bushiness, Pinching, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
General purpose granulated 30-10-10 fertilizer
Does not require fertilizer once established
Pests and Diseases
Anthracnose, Birch Leafminer, Bronze Birch Borer, Slime Flux
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Variety of soil types
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
-
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies, Insects, Moths
Ladybug beetles, Mealybugs, Scale Insects
Allergy
Pollen
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Used in parkland
Beautification, Borders, Decorating walls, Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
anti-inflammatory, Antirheumatic, Antiseptic, Astringent, Diaphoretic, Diuretic
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Inner Bark, Leaves, Sap
-
Other Uses
Used as a thickener in soups, Used as essential oil, used for making charcoal, Used in making tea
Used as Ornamental plant, useful as a ground cover
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Street Trees
-
Botanical Name
BETULA pendula
CRYPTANTHUS
Common Name
Common Birch, European White Birch, Silver Birch
Cryptanthus, Earth Star
In Hindi
Silver Birch
Earth Star
In German
Weißbirke
Erdstern
In French
Silver Birch
Terre étoile
In Spanish
Abedul de plata
estrella de la tierra
In Greek
Silver Birch
γη αστεριών
In Portuguese
Silver Birch
Estrela da terra
In Polish
Silver Birch
Gwiazda ziemi
In Latin
Argentum Birch
terra, stella
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Fagales
Bromeliales
Family
Betulaceae
Bromeliaceae
Genus
Betula
Cryptanthus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Betuloideae
Bromelioideae
Number of Species
6050
1
27800
👆🏻