Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
United States, Central United States
Types
-
Deciduous Tree
Number of Varieties
3334
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
Woodland Garden Canopy
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-95-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
8-4
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
7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Spreading
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm1,830.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,220.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Brown
Yellow green, Chartreuse
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Black
Chocolate
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Gray Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Yellow, Tan, Brown
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
oblong or obovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Pollution, Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
Average Water Needs, Water during dry weather
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
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 damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
Phosphorous
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Anthracnose, Sunken patches
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Drought
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Birds
Allergy
Asthma
Severe allergen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Erosion control, Wildlife
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Antiseptic, Astringent, Emetic, Febrifuge, Tonic
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Seeds
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Roasted seed is used as a coffee substitute, Used as a thickening in stews, Wood is used for making furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Feature Plant, Hedges, Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Street Trees
Botanical Name
BETULA nigra
QUERCUS imbricaria
Common Name
River Birch
Shingle Oak
In Hindi
River Birch
Shingle Oak
In German
Fluss Birch
Kies Eiche
In French
Birch river
Shingle Oak
In Spanish
river Birch
teja de madera de roble
In Greek
ποταμός Birch
βότσαλα Oak
In Portuguese
river Birch
Shingle Oak
In Polish
Rzeka Birch
gont Oak
In Latin
Betula
Quercus imbricaria
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fagales
Fagales
Family
Betulaceae
Fagaceae
Genus
Betula
Quercus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Fagoideae
Number of Species
38
1
27800
👆🏻