Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tender Perennial
Origin
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Southern Africa
Types
-
Perennial
Number of Varieties
350
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-98-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
10-8
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
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm61.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,220.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Brown
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Black
Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
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
Average
Bloom Time
Spring
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
Requires regular watering
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
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 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
Nematodes, Scale
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Drought
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
-
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Asthma
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Erosion control, Wildlife
Ethnobotanic
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Root
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
BETULA nigra
DIETES bicolor
Common Name
River Birch
African iris, Fortnight lily
In Hindi
River Birch
African Iris
In German
Fluss Birch
Afrikanische Iris
In French
Birch river
African Iris
In Spanish
river Birch
Iris africano
In Greek
ποταμός Birch
Αφρικανική Iris
In Portuguese
river Birch
Iris africano
In Polish
Rzeka Birch
Afryki Iris
In Latin
Betula
African Iris
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fagales
Asparagales
Family
Betulaceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Betula
Dietes
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Irideae
Subfamily
-
Iridoideae
Number of Species
3300
1
27800
👆🏻