Plant Type

Tree

 

Height Range

25-40'

 

Flower Color

n/a

 

Flower Season

n/a

 

Leaf Color

Green

 

Bark Color

Red, Tan

 

Fruit Color

Brown

 

Fruit Season

Summer

Sun

Full, Half, Shade

 

Water

High, Extra in Summer

 

Growth Rate

Moderate

 

Soil Type

Clay, Loam, Rocky

 

Soil Condition

Average, Rich, Poor, Well-drained, Moist

 

Soil pH

Acid, Neutral, Basic

 

Adverse Factors

n/a

Design Styles

Formal, Ranch, Woodland

 

Accenting Features

Fall Color, Multi-trunk Tree, Specimen

 

Seasonal Interest

Winter, Summer, Fall

 

Location Uses

Background, Lawn, Patio, Walls / Fences

 

Special Uses

Screen, Mass Planting, Shade Tree

 

Attracts Wildlife

Butterflies

River Birch is a deciduous tree with attractive, buff-colored peeling bark and small, finely toothed leaves. It grows 30 to 40 feet tall and 20 to 30 feet wide. Available as a single or multi-stemmed tree. Leaves are green in the summer, with strong yellow fall color. Buff to brown catkins hang in little clusters during the summer months, persisting into winter. Tolerates moist soils, so place it near the lawn where it will benefit from the supplemental water without injury.

Grow in sun to part shade, in well drained soil. Prefers soils with some organic matter. It resists bronze birch borer and will tolerate wetter soils than the B. pendula. Not a tree for a dry landscape, but with good soil and placement, it could be a nice addition to a moderately watered landscape.