Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Northern Europe, Russia/Siberia
North America, Southwestern United States, Mexico
Types
Young's weeping birch, Ornäs Birch
Colville's Barrel Cactus, Long-spined Barrel Cactus, Barrel Cactus
Number of Varieties
6029
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Sunny Edge, Woodland Garden Canopy
limestone outcrops, Rocky areas, Semi desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
2-712-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
7-1
12-10
Sunset Zone
A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Pyramidal
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm40.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
610.00 cm13.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Green
Yellow, Magenta
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Black
Pink, Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Light Yellow, Yellow green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Double-toothed, serrated
-
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Water more in summer
Needs good drainage, Needs very little water, Water carefully
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
-
Fertilizers
General purpose granulated 30-10-10 fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Anthracnose, Birch Leafminer, Bronze Birch Borer, Slime Flux
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies, Insects, Moths
-
Allergy
Pollen
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Used in parkland
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
anti-inflammatory, Antirheumatic, Antiseptic, Astringent, Diaphoretic, Diuretic
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Inner Bark, Leaves, Sap
Flowers
Other Uses
Used as a thickener in soups, Used as essential oil, used for making charcoal, Used in making tea
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Street Trees
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
BETULA pendula
ECHINOCACTUS horizonthalonius
Common Name
Common Birch, European White Birch, Silver Birch
Devilshead, Turk's head cactus, Blue barrel cactus, Eagle's claw, Horse maimer, Horse crippler, Visnaga meloncillo
In Hindi
Silver Birch
Blue barrel cactus
In German
Weißbirke
Blau Faßkaktus
In French
Silver Birch
Bleu barrel cactus
In Spanish
Abedul de plata
biznaga Azul
In Greek
Silver Birch
Μπλε βαρέλι κάκτος
In Portuguese
Silver Birch
cacto de tambor azul
In Polish
Silver Birch
Niebieski baryłkę kaktus
In Latin
Argentum Birch
Blue Cactus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fagales
Caryophyllales
Family
Betulaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Betula
Echinocactus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Cacteae
Subfamily
Betuloideae
Cactaceae
Number of Species
6029
1
27800
👆🏻