Birch
Culture
OUTSTANDING FEATURES
- Colorful bark ranging from pure white of paper birch to light
mahogany of river birch.
- Pendulous catkins offer interest in early spring.
- Brilliant yellow fall foliage.
- Small to medium sized trees, many with rapid growth rate.
- Upright growth habit but some cultivars with weeping or pendulous
branches.
LANDSCAPE USE
- Smaller cultivars useful as specimen trees for small properties.
- Birches do not cast dense shade, therefore they can be combined
with a number of understory shrubs and herbaceous plants.
- Easy to grow in clumps of 3 or 4 trees, giving the appearance
of multi-stemmed trees and provide pleasing alternative to single
stemmed trees in landscapes.
- Very good winter effects when planted with an evergreen background;
shrubs with bright colored stems such as red-stemmed dogwood contrast
well with white bark species of birch.
CULTURAL REQUIREMENTS
- Best planted in spring since some are slow to establish.
- Prune only to correct problems but delay pruning until leaves
are fully expanded; pruning in late winter and early spring results
in profuse "bleeding" of sap from pruning wounds.
- Plant only in soils which are deep, rich, moist and slightly
acid. Good drainage is essential.
- Plant in full sun.
- Avoid hot, dry urban planting locations.
KEY PESTS
Insects:
Birch leaf miner
Bronze birch borer
Birches are susceptible to numerous other pests and diseases which
are less common.
COMMON CULTURAL PROBLEMS
Chlorosis - Planting in high pH soils can result in yellowing or
chlorosis of leaves. Plant in soils with pH of 6.5 or less. For
established trees with chlorosis, apply sulfur to lower pH or use
acidifying fertilizers.
SELECTED SPECIES AND CULTIVARS
Betula nigra - River Birch
Best grown as multi-stemmed specimen; reddish brown bark; 40-70'
tall; best suited for moisture retentive soils. 'Heritage' is a
cultivar with large, leathery leaves and off-white bark. This native
species is more resistant to bronze birch borer than other species.
Betula papyrifera - Paper, Canoe or White Birch
Pure white bark; 50-70' tall, rounded form to canopy at maturity;
attractive as multi-stemmed specimen though single stem habit is
also appealing; not well suited to urban environments due to low
tolerance to air pollution. However, it is a native species and
is less susceptible to bronze birch borer than is European birch.
Betula platyphylla var. japonica - Asian White Birch Pure
white bark; 40-50' tall; fast growing with pyramidal habit; has
shown some resistance to bronze birch borer.
Generally, birch species with non-white bark are less susceptible
to bronze birch borer and birch leaf miner. These species should
be considered on sites where borer and leaf miner have been serious
problems.
Ron Kujawski
UMass Extension Educator
5/96
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