Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Cactus
Origin
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
South America
Types
-
Gymnocalycium alboareolatum , Gymnocalycium amerhauseri , Gymnocalycium andreae
Number of Varieties
354
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
Desert, Semi desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-99-12
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
13,21,22,23,24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm12.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,220.00 cm8.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Brown
creamy white, Light Pink, Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Black
Pink
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
-
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
All year
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Part sun, Partial shade, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Sand, Sandy
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Sandy
Bloom Time
Spring
All year
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Dry Conditions, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Offsets
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
Do not water excessively
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Sandy
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Dry
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Part sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
-
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, can go long without fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Mealy bugs, Root rot
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Ants, Mealybugs
Allergy
Asthma
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Ornamental use
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Erosion control, Wildlife
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds, Food for insects
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Bark, Fruits
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Decoration Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Showy Tree
Botanical Name
BETULA nigra
GYMNOCALYCIUM
Common Name
River Birch
Chin Cactus
In Hindi
River Birch
Gymnocalycium
In German
Fluss Birch
Gymnocalycium
In French
Birch river
Gymnocalycium
In Spanish
river Birch
Gymnocalycium
In Greek
ποταμός Birch
Gymnocalycium
In Portuguese
river Birch
Gymnocalycium
In Polish
Rzeka Birch
Gymnocalycium
In Latin
Betula
Gymnocalycium
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fagales
Caryophyllales
Family
Betulaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Betula
Gymnocalycium
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Trichocereeae
Subfamily
-
Cactoideae
Number of Species
354
1
27800
👆🏻