Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Northern Europe, Russia/Siberia
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Young's weeping birch, Ornäs Birch
Guaiacum officinale
Number of Varieties
603
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Sunny Edge, Woodland Garden Canopy
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
2-710-15
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
H1, H2
Habit
Pyramidal
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
610.00 cm370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Green
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Black
Yellow, Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Light Yellow, Yellow green
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Olive
Shape
Leaf Shape
Double-toothed, serrated
Egg-shaped
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
Very Slow
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Water more in summer
Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Consistently
In Spring
Moderate
Average Water
In Winter
Average Water
Moderate
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
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
Prune to stimulate growth
Fertilizers
General purpose granulated 30-10-10 fertilizer
Fertilize three times a year
Pests and Diseases
Anthracnose, Birch Leafminer, Bronze Birch Borer, Slime Flux
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Salt
Flowers
Showy
Showy
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies, Insects, Moths
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Pollen
Skin irritation
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
Bark, Sap
Other Uses
Used as a thickener in soups, Used as essential oil, used for making charcoal, Used in making tea
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Street Trees
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
BETULA pendula
GUAIACUM sanctum
Common Name
Common Birch, European White Birch, Silver Birch
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
In Hindi
Silver Birch
Lignum Vitae
In German
Weißbirke
Lignum Vitae
In French
Silver Birch
Lignum Vitae
In Spanish
Abedul de plata
Palo santo
In Greek
Silver Birch
Lignum Vitae
In Portuguese
Silver Birch
pau-santo
In Polish
Silver Birch
Lignum Vitae
In Latin
Argentum Birch
lignum Vitae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fagales
Sapindales
Family
Betulaceae
Zygophyllaceae
Genus
Betula
Guaiacum
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
-
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Betuloideae
-
Number of Species
603
1
27800
👆🏻