Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tree
Origin
Southeastern United States
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Types
Tree
-
Number of Varieties
-3
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Sunny Edge, Woodland Garden Canopy
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-94-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-3
9-1
Sunset Zone
2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17
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
Habit
Pyramidal
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
460.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
370.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Red, Orange Red
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblong to ablanceolate
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
Fertilizers
Nitrate based fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
Pests and Diseases
Beetles
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Plant Tolerance
Drought
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
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
-
Allergy
-
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Hair Conditioner, Skin Problems
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Erosion control, Wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cardiac, Diuretic, Refrigerant, Tonic
-
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Leaves
Whole plant
Other Uses
It is a remedy for treating fevers, Used in making tea, Used in treatment of mouth ulcers
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, Mixed Border
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
OXYDENDRUM arboreum
BETULA nigra
Common Name
Sourwood
River Birch
In Hindi
Sourwood
River Birch
In German
Sourwood
Fluss Birch
In French
Sourwood
Birch river
In Spanish
Sourwood
river Birch
In Greek
Sourwood
ποταμός Birch
In Portuguese
Sourwood
river Birch
In Polish
Sourwood
Rzeka Birch
In Latin
Sourwood
Betula
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Ericales
Fagales
Family
Ericaceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Oxydendrum
Betula
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Oxydendreae
-
Subfamily
Vaccinioideae
-
Number of Species
13
1
27800
👆🏻