Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Broadleaf Evergreen
Origin
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
California
Types
-
Heteromeles arbutifolia
Number of Varieties
33
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
Foot Hills, low mountains, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-98-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
-
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
21,22
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,220.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Brown
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Black
Red, Orange Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Elliptic
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring
Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Drought, Salt
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
Does not require water in summer, Requires watering in the growing season
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, 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
-
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Solid Fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Bacterial Diseases, Root Pathogen
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Drought
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
Allergy
Asthma
Acidic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Erosion control, Wildlife
Erosion control
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Body Ache, Stomach pain
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Decoration Purposes, Sauces
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Mixed Border, Screening, Wind Break, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier
Botanical Name
BETULA nigra
HETEROMELES arbutifolia
Common Name
River Birch
Christmas Berry, California Holly
In Hindi
River Birch
Toyon
In German
Fluss Birch
Toyon
In French
Birch river
Toyon
In Spanish
river Birch
Toyon
In Greek
ποταμός Birch
Toyon
In Portuguese
river Birch
Toyon
In Polish
Rzeka Birch
Toyon
In Latin
Betula
Toyon
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fagales
Rosales
Family
Betulaceae
Rosaceae
Genus
Betula
Heteromeles
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Maleae
Subfamily
-
Amygdaloideae
Number of Species
36
1
27800
👆🏻