Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Origin
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Mediterranean
Types
-
California bay leaf, Indian bay leaf or malabathrum, Indonesian bay leaf
Habitat
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
Forest edges, Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-9
8-11
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
5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Pyramidal
Flower Color
Yellow, Brown
Yellow green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Dark Green
Leaf Shape
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Linear
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Tolerances
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
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 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, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
Prune in summer, Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove damaged leaves, Remove shoots
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
-
Single
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Environmental Uses
Erosion control, Wildlife
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
-
anti-allergy, Arthritis, Bronchitis, Headache, Muscle Pain, Pain killer
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Cosmetics, Oil is used for aromatherapy, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Hedges, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier
Botanical Name
BETULA nigra
LAURUS nobilis
Common Name
River Birch
Bay Laurel, Sweet Bay
In Hindi
River Birch
bay laurel
In German
Fluss Birch
Lorbeer
In French
Birch river
laurier
In Spanish
river Birch
laurel
In Greek
ποταμός Birch
δάφνη
In Portuguese
river Birch
louro
In Polish
Rzeka Birch
wawrzynu
In Latin
Betula
sinus laurus
Family
Betulaceae
Lauraceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Magnoliids
Importance of River Birch and Bay Laurel
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of River Birch and Bay Laurel. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare River Birch and Bay Laurel as they differ in many characteristics such as their life, care, benefits, facts, etc. Every gardener must at least have the slightest clue about the plants he wants to plant in his garden. Compare their benefits, which differ in many ways like facts and uses. The medicinal use of River Birch is whereas of Bay Laurel is anti-allergy, Arthritis, Bronchitis, Headache, Muscle Pain and Pain killer. River Birch has beauty benefits as follows: while Bay Laurel has beauty benefits as follows: .
Compare Facts of River Birch vs Bay Laurel
How to choose the best garden plant for your garden depending upon its facts? Here garden plant comparison will help you to solve this query. Compare the facts of River Birch vs Bay Laurel and know which one to choose. As garden plants have benefits and other uses, allergy is also a major drawback of plants for some people. Allergic reactions of River Birch are Asthma whereas of Bay Laurel have Asthma respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. River Birch has no showy fruits and Bay Laurel has showy fruits. Also River Birch is not flowering and Bay Laurel is not flowering . You can compare River Birch and Bay Laurel facts and facts of other plants too.