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, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, Western United States, Northwestern United States, Alaska, Canada
Types
-
-
Number of Varieties
32
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
Forest margins, Thickets
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-94-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
8-1
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
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm370.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,220.00 cm430.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Brown
Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Black
Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Yellow, 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, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring
Late Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Divison, Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
Do Not over Water, Keep ground moist
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
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
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 dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, for fruiting plants, use high phosphorous content fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Bacterial leaf spot, Cane Spot, fungus, Powdery mildew, Viruses
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Asthma
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Erosion control, Wildlife
Food for birds, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes, soil stabilisation
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Cold, Fever
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Whole plant
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Screening / Wind Break
Botanical Name
BETULA nigra
Sambucus racemosa
Common Name
River Birch
Red Elderberry, Red-berried Elderberry
In Hindi
River Birch
Red Elderberry
In German
Fluss Birch
Rote Holunder
In French
Birch river
Red sureau
In Spanish
river Birch
La baya del saúco roja
In Greek
ποταμός Birch
κόκκινο Elderberry
In Portuguese
river Birch
Red Elderberry
In Polish
Rzeka Birch
Red Elderberry
In Latin
Betula
pubens
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fagales
Dipsacales
Family
Betulaceae
Caprifoliaceae
Genus
Betula
Sambucus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
37
1
27800
👆🏻