Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Flowering Plants
Tree
Origin
Southwestern United States, California
India, Nepal, China
Types
-
Betula utilis
Number of Varieties
402
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dry areas, meadows
Mountains
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-95-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
7-5
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17
Habit
Clump-Forming
Pyramidal
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.40 cm760.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Crimson
Tan, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Yellow green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Yellow
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblong
Cordiform
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Early Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Grafting, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water when soil is dry
Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Average Water
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 10-10-10 amount
Fertilize in early spring, Fertilize in late fall, slow-release fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Insects
Honey fungus, Leaves with brown tip, Phytophthora Root Rot, Powdery mildew, Verticillium Wilt
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Dry Conditions, waterlogging, Wet Site
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
Hummingbirds
-
Allergy
Asthma
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Weightloss
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Burns, Snakebite, Stomach aliments
anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, Antioxidants, Antiseptic, Carminative
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Bark, Leaves
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Used in construction, Wood is used in construction
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
PENSTEMON eatonii
BETULA utilis
Common Name
Firecracker Penstemon
Himalayan Birch
In Hindi
Firecracker penstemon
हिमालय सन्टी
In German
Kracher penstemon
Himalaya-Birke
In French
Firecracker penstemon
bouleau de l'Himalaya
In Spanish
Penstemon del petardo
abedul del Himalaya
In Greek
πυροτέχνημα penstemon
Himalayan σημύδας
In Portuguese
Penstemon do foguete
bétula Himalaia
In Polish
petarda penstemon
Himalayan brzoza
In Latin
Firecracker Persicaria
Birch Himalayan
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Tracheophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Fagales
Family
Scrophulariaceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Penstemon
Betula
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
25030
1
27800
👆🏻