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Betula nigra - Birch

Betula nigra
Black Birch, River Birch, Water Birch

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Very hardy, deciduous tree, often with multiple trunks, originating from the plains and marshes of the eastern United States. It is decorative all year round with its textured bark, initially reddish-brown turning to black-brown or grey-white, fissured and peeling off in strips that curl up on themselves revealing a smooth grey-orange trunk. Growing rapidly to a medium size, it has an airy rounded habit and twisted, irregular, slightly weeping branches, which look wonderful when planted individually or in groups in large spaces. Thriving in wet environments, it flourishes in full sun or partial shade and in soil that is moist to dry, neutral to acid.
Flower size
8 cm
Height at maturity
15 m
Spread at maturity
10 m
Exposure
Sun, Partial shade
Hardiness
Hardy down to -9°C
Soil moisture
Moist soil, Damp soil
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Best planting time March, October
Recommended planting time January to March, September to October
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Flowering time April
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Description

Betula nigra or Black Birch is a very hardy, deciduous tree, often with multiple trunks, native to the plains and marshes of the eastern United States. It is decorative all year round with its highly textured bark, initially reddish-brown turning black or grey-white, fissured and peeling off in strips that curl up, revealing a smooth, grey-orange trunk! Fast-growing and medium sized, it has an airy, rounded habit and twisted, irregular, slightly weeping branches that look wonderful when planted alone or in groups in large spaces. Its light, glossy deep green foliage quickly emerges and turns golden yellow, illuminating autumn days. Thriving in wet environments, it flourishes in sun or partial shade and in soil that is moist to dry, neutral to acid.

 

The Black birch, or Betula nigra, is a deciduous tree native to warm regions in the southeastern United States. In nature, it is found along rivers and swamps, although it can tolerate much drier conditions. It is also known as the "River birch".

It is a medium-sized tree, reaching 15 m (49 ft 2 in) in height and 10 m (32 ft 10 in) in spread at maturity, growing rapidly, often from multiple trunks. Its is naturally rounded and erratic. It develops an elegant, twisted and irregular framework with unevenly arranged branches that divide into slender, slightly weeping branches. The trunks of juvenile specimens are reddish-brown, until a quite advanced age. The bark of old trees, which is dark brown or grey-white, is deeply furrowed at the base and peels off in large strips, revealing a new, much lighter, grey-orange bark. The young branches are reddish-brown and dotted with dark lenticels. Its shiny, deep green, deciduous foliage, hairy on the underside, 8 cm (3.1 in) wide, is diamond-shaped with doubly toothed margins. The leaves appear early in the year, forming a semi-open, light canopy that turns golden-yellow in autumn. In April, it produces masses of yellow-brown, pendulous, male catkin-like flowers reaching up to 8 cm (3.1 in) in length

 

The black birch is a fairly tolerant plant when it comes to soil, as long as it is not too dry or chalky. It thrives in partial shade, and its slender form and moderate size make it a great addition to medium-sized gardens. As a street tree, it can also be planted in small groups of 3 specimens or placed in the centre of a bed, surrounded by ground-cover perennials such as lungworts, Trachystemon orientalis, or a carpet of wood anemones. It lends itself to superb combinations with other plants that are particularly striking in winter, such as Cornus with its multicoloured-bark, or fragrant, winter-flowering Hamamelis and Sarcococca. Its autumn foliage can be combined with that of Nyssa sylvatica in boggy soil or at the edge of a pond, or with that of deciduous viburnums or Parrotia persica in drier soil.

 

Betula nigra - Birch in pictures

Betula nigra - Birch (Flowering) Flowering
Betula nigra - Birch (Foliage) Foliage
Betula nigra - Birch (Plant habit) Plant habit

Plant habit

Height at maturity 15 m
Spread at maturity 10 m
Habit upright, columnar
Growth rate fast

Flowering

Flower colour insignificant
Flowering time April
Inflorescence Cluster
Flowering description Pendulous male catkins.

Foliage

Foliage persistence Deciduous
Foliage colour green

Botanical data

Genus

Betula

Species

nigra

Family

Betulaceae

Other common names

Black Birch, River Birch, Water Birch

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Product reference1000461

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Planting and care

Very easy to grow in soil that is not too dry or too chalky (even clayey, heavy, waterlogged, poorly drained and boggy), the black birch requires little maintenance, apart from regular watering and the use of mulch in the event of prolonged drought. It should preferably be planted in a moist, fertile soil, where it will be more beautiful and grow faster, but it will also do well in slightly chalky or sandy, occasionally dry soil, in full sun or partial shade. Pruning is not necessary. The plant is remarkably resistant to pollution, diseases or parasites that usually attack birch trees.

 

Planting period

Best planting time March, October
Recommended planting time January to March, September to October

Intended location

Suitable for Meadow, Woodland edge
Type of use Back of border, Free-standing
Hardiness Hardy down to -9°C (USDA zone 8b) Show map
Ease of cultivation Beginner
Planting density 1 per m2
Exposure Sun, Partial shade
Soil pH Acidic, Neutral
Soil type Clayey (heavy), Silty-loamy (rich and light), Stony (poor and well-drained)
Soil moisture Moist soil, Damp soil, Ordinary soil, well cultivated.

Care

Pruning No pruning necessary
Soil moisture Moist soil, Damp soil
Disease resistance Very good
Overwinter Can be left in the ground

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