Life Span
Perennial
Biennial
Type
Needled or Scaled Evergreen
Tree
Origin
Northwestern United States, Canada
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Types
-
Yellow Birch, Paper Birch, River Birch
Habitat
Lowland, Moist Soils, Swamps
Hills, Moist Soils
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-7
4-9
Sunset Zone
A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
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
Flower Color
Light Yellow
Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown, Sienna
Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Bronze
-
Leaf Shape
Scale-like imbricate
Pinnate
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Type of Soil
Loam
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Tolerances
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Hardwood Cuttings, Rooted stem cutting, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Needs a lot of moisture in the growing season, when new, water every week
Requires watering in the growing season, Water daily during growing season, Water Deeply, Water more frequently during periods of extreme drought
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove hanging branches
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, fertilize twice a year, Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Armillaria root rot, Bark beetles
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Fragrant Bark/Stem
Yes
No
Foliage Texture
Fine
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Attracts
-
Ants, Aphids, Birds
Allergy
Asthma, contact allergic dermatitis, Urticaria
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree, Shelter for wildlife, Wildlife
Medicinal Uses
Bronchitis, Cold, Cough, Fever, Sore throat
Antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, Arthritis, Boils, bowel syndrome, Combats Stress, Diarrhea, Dysentry, Heart problems, Kidney Stones, Osteoarthritis, Skin Disorders, Urinary tract problems
Part of Plant Used
Branch, Inner Bark, Leaves, Wood
Bark, Leaves, Sap
Other Uses
Dugout canoes, Making deodorants, Medicinal oil, Paper pulp, Pulp can be used to make rope place mats and other goods, Used as an insecticide, Used to make baskets
Medicinal oil, Used as essential oil
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Hedges, Screening / Wind Break
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
THUJA plicata
BETULA nigra 'Studetec'
Common Name
Giant Arborvitae, Green Giant Arborvitae, Western Arborvitae, Western Red Cedar
Black Birch, River Birch, Tecumseh Compact River Birch
In Hindi
Pacific redcedar
काले बर्च वृक्ष
In German
Riesen-Lebensbaum
Schwarze Birke
In French
Thuja plicata
Noir Bouleau
In Spanish
Thuja plicata
Negro del árbol de abedul
In Greek
Thuja plicata
Μαύρο Birch Tree
In Portuguese
Thuja plicata
Bétula Preto
In Polish
Żywotnik olbrzymi
Czarny Brzoza
In Latin
Thuja plicata
Niger Caerulus
Phylum
Pinophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Pinopsida
Magnoliopsida
Family
Cupressaceae
Betulaceae
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Importance of Western Red Cedar and Black Birch
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Western Red Cedar and Black Birch. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Western Red Cedar and Black Birch as they differ in many characteristics such as their life, care, benefits, facts, etc. Every gardener must at least have the slightest clue about the plants he wants to plant in his garden. Compare their benefits, which differ in many ways like facts and uses. The medicinal use of Western Red Cedar is Bronchitis, Cold, Cough, Fever and Sore throat whereas of Black Birch is Antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, Arthritis, Boils, bowel syndrome, Combats Stress, Diarrhea, Dysentry, Heart problems, Kidney Stones, Osteoarthritis, Skin Disorders and Urinary tract problems. Western Red Cedar has beauty benefits as follows: while Black Birch has beauty benefits as follows: .
Compare Facts of Western Red Cedar vs Black Birch
How to choose the best garden plant for your garden depending upon its facts? Here garden plant comparison will help you to solve this query. Compare the facts of Western Red Cedar vs Black Birch and know which one to choose. As garden plants have benefits and other uses, allergy is also a major drawback of plants for some people. Allergic reactions of Western Red Cedar are Asthma, contact allergic dermatitis and Urticaria whereas of Black Birch have respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Western Red Cedar has no showy fruits and Black Birch has no showy fruits. Also Western Red Cedar is not flowering and Black Birch is not flowering . You can compare Western Red Cedar and Black Birch facts and facts of other plants too.