Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
North America, Northeastern United States, North-Central United States, Alaska, Canada
Types
-
Ornamental Tree
Number of Varieties
330
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
Slopes, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-92-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
7-1
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
A1, A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm1,520.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,220.00 cm760.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Brown
Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Black
Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Light Yellow, Gold
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Egg-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Stem Planting
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
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
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
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
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
Showy
Flower Petal Number
-
-
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
-
Allergy
Asthma
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Erosion control, Wildlife
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Cold, Cough, Gout, Laxative, Rheumatism, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Leaves, Wood
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Animal Feed, Sometimes used for making wine
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
BETULA nigra
BETULA papyrifera
Common Name
River Birch
Paper Birch
In Hindi
River Birch
Paper birch
In German
Fluss Birch
Papierbirke
In French
Birch river
Le bouleau à papier
In Spanish
river Birch
abedul de papel
In Greek
ποταμός Birch
σημύδα χαρτί
In Portuguese
river Birch
vidoeiro de papel
In Polish
Rzeka Birch
brzoza papieru
In Latin
Betula
Paper betula
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fagales
Fagales
Family
Betulaceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Betula
Betula
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
360
1
27800
👆🏻