Species and Cultivars
There are so many options out there to choose from when you start your shopping.
Make your choice based on the growing conditions in your landscape for the best chance at growing a thriving tree.
Here are a few popular choices:
Black
Black (B. nigra) is sometimes called red or river birch.
The papery bark has a lovely salmon-colored hue when it’s young, gradually turning reddish-brown as it ages. The older bark exfoliates, giving the trunk a rough, textured look.
Native to North America, B. nigra is resistant (not immune) to borers and can thrive in both moist and dry soils, provided the soil is acidic.
It’s extremely adaptable and will tolerate heat, flooding, and heavy winds in Zones 4 to 9.
Many gardeners pick the Heritage cultivar (B. nigra ‘Cully’) because it has a tidier shape than the species and the bark peels more, giving it a lovely texture.
You can find this cultivar available at Nature Hills Nursery.
Dura Heat® (B. nigra ‘BNMTF’) is tolerant of heat and dry conditions.
It’s fast growing so it can fill up the space rapidly, topping out at 40 feet tall and wide.
You can find Dura Heat® available at Fast Growing Trees.
Dwarf
Dwarf birches (B. nana) hail from the Arctic where they grow just three or four feet tall.
You’ll rarely see the species for sale as it’s used to breed hybrids that will add delightful charm to your garden.
Cesky Gold® (B. x plettkei ‘Golden Treasure’) is a good example.
It grows just four feet tall and three feet wide at most, with bright red stems and golden green leaves that turn bright orange and red in the fall in Zones 2 to 7.
It’s a cross between dwarf and weeping species. Pick yours up at Nature Hills Nursery.
Gray
B. populifolia is native to eastern North America and has chalky white bark that doesn’t peel off.
It grows to about 30 feet tall in frigid Zones 2 to 7.
The tree can have a somewhat arching growth habit and usually grows in multi-stemmed clusters in the wild, though it’s usually cultivated as a single-trunked tree.
It can tolerate drier soils than many of its cousins.
‘Whitespire’ is an improved cultivar that has bright white bark. It’s heat tolerant and fast-growing, topping out at 40 feet tall and 25 feet wide.
You can find ‘Whitespire’ available at Nature Hills Nursery.
Japanese White
B. platyphylla, commonly called Japanese birch, is less popular in cultivation than some of the others on this list because it is intolerant of heat and drought.
But it’s a charming specimen if you have the right conditions.
Happy in Zones 4 to 7, B. platyphylla has a pyramidal shape with pendulous branches and bright white bark.
It has some resistance to birch borers for a white bark type. The trees can stretch up to 60 feet tall but usually stay about half that height. It typically grows about half as wide as it is tall.
Commonly known as Dakota pinnacle, ‘Fargo’ grows to about 30 feet tall and a tidy 12 feet wide.
This cultivar is extremely adaptable to cold, growing even down in Zone 3, while still tolerating heat and humidity.
Plus, it’s more resistant to borers than the species and resists fungal diseases.
You can find ‘Fargo’ available at Fast Growing Trees.
Paper
Paper birch (B. papyrifera) is named for the white, paper-thin bark that peels off as it ages, revealing the ruddy wood underneath.
In the winter, it’s a focal point in the yard that looks like nothing else. You might also see this species listed as canoe or white birch.
When mature, it can reach up to 40 feet tall and about 30 feet wide in Zones 2 to 7.
If you live in North America, it’s native to your area, so it will serve as a good source of food and shelter for local fauna.
You can find paper birch saplings available at Nature Hills Nursery.
Water
I have a soft spot for water birches (B. occidentalis).
The purplish or dark red to nearly black bark is marked with white lenticels, a sort of inverse from the common white with black lenticels you typically see. I like a rebel.
In the wild, it grows near rivers throughout western North America. Topping out at 40 feet tall and a bit more than 20 feet wide, it will often form small clumps.
Although this species has an upright form, the older branches can become nodding, which I think adds to the charm.
