Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
North America, United States, Northwestern United States, Alaska, California, Canada
Types
-
-
Number of Varieties
330
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
Lowland evergreen rainforest
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-94-7
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
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16, 17
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Pyramidal
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm1,370.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,220.00 cm610.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Brown
Yellow, Red, Coral
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Black
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
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
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Spring
Early Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Maritime exposure, Salt water
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Layering, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
Average Water Needs
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
Loam, Sand
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
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
-
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Maritime exposure, Salt water
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
-
Insects
Allergy
Asthma
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Erosion control, Wildlife
Air purification, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shadow Tree
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Anodyne, Appetizer, Astringent
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Flowers, Inner Bark, Sap
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used as a dye, used for making charcoal, Used for making informal hedge
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
BETULA nigra
ALNUS rubra
Common Name
River Birch
Oregon Alder, Red Alder
In Hindi
River Birch
red alder
In German
Fluss Birch
rot-Erle
In French
Birch river
aulne rouge
In Spanish
river Birch
aliso rojo
In Greek
ποταμός Birch
κόκκινη σκλήθρα
In Portuguese
river Birch
amieiro vermelho
In Polish
Rzeka Birch
czerwony olcha
In Latin
Betula
red alnus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fagales
Fagales
Family
Betulaceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Betula
Alnus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
335
1
27800
👆🏻