Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Tree
Tender Perennial
Origin
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Southern Europe, Mediterranean
Types
-
Silver Lace, Cirrus
Number of Varieties
33
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
Coastal Regions, Warmer regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-97-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
12-1
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
H1, H2, 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 cm20.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,220.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Brown
White, Yellow, Purple
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Black
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Blue Green, Silver
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Blue Green, Silver
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Blue Green, Silver
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
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
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply
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
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
fertilize every 2-3 weeks while growing, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Blight, Downy mildew, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Rust, White mold
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Drought
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
-
Flying insects, Insects
Allergy
Asthma
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation, Skin rash, Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Erosion control, Wildlife
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Headache, Menstrual Disorders, Migraines
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Leaves
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Employed in herbal medicine, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Bedding Plant, Container, Cutflower, Edging, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
BETULA nigra
CENTAUREA cineraria
Common Name
River Birch
Silver dust
In Hindi
River Birch
डस्टी मिलर
In German
Fluss Birch
Dusty Miller
In French
Birch river
Dusty Miller
In Spanish
river Birch
Dusty Miller
In Greek
ποταμός Birch
Dusty Miller
In Portuguese
river Birch
Dusty Miller
In Polish
Rzeka Birch
Dusty Miller
In Latin
Betula
Dusty Cicero
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Anthophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fagales
Asterales
Family
Betulaceae
Asteraceae
Genus
Betula
Centaurea
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Cynareae
Subfamily
-
Carduoideae
Number of Species
31
1
27800
👆🏻