Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Tree
Broadleaf Evergreen
Origin
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
North America, Europe, Asia
Types
-
Andromeda polifolia var. polifolia, Andromeda polifolia var. glaucophylla
Number of Varieties
32
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
Bog Garden, Fens, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-92-6
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
-
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
-
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm33.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,220.00 cm46.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Brown
White, Pink, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Black
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Long Linear
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
Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Spring
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
Do not let dry out between waterings, Keep ground moist
In Summer
Lots of watering
Average Water, Ample Water
In Spring
Moderate
Ample Water
In Winter
Average Water
Not so frequently
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam
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
Prune for size control, Remove short twigs
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
fertilize in spring
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
-
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
-
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
pollinators
Allergy
Asthma
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Erosion control, Wildlife
-
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Flowers
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
As a tea substitute
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Bog Garden, Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
BETULA nigra
ANDROMEDA polifolia
Common Name
River Birch
Bog Rosemary
In Hindi
River Birch
Bog Rosemary
In German
Fluss Birch
Rosmarinheide
In French
Birch river
Andromeda polifolia
In Spanish
river Birch
Andromeda polifolia
In Greek
ποταμός Birch
Bog Rosemary
In Portuguese
river Birch
Bog Rosemary
In Polish
Rzeka Birch
Modrzewnica zwyczajna
In Latin
Betula
Bog Rosemary
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fagales
Ericales
Family
Betulaceae
Ericaceae
Genus
Betula
Andromeda
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Vaccinioideae
Number of Species
32
1
27800
👆🏻