Small birch tree
11 Common Species of Birch Trees
Identified by their unique bark, birch trees look lovely in the landscape.
By
Vanessa Richins Myers
Vanessa Richins Myers
Vanessa Richins Myers is a seasoned horticulturist, writer, and educator with over 10 years of training and experience as a professional horticulturist and gardener. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in horticulture, with an emphasis in landscape design and urban horticulture. She volunteers as a community garden specialist.
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Updated on 07/29/22
Reviewed by
Andrew Hughes
Reviewed by Andrew Hughes
Andrew Hughes is a certified arborist and member of the International Society of Arborists specializing in tree heal care. He founded and runs Urban Loggers, LLC, a company offering residential tree services in the Midwest and Connecticut.
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The Spruce / Letícia Almeida
Birch trees belong to the genus Betula and are classified as part of the Betulaceae family of plants. They are typically small to medium-sized trees and shrubs found in temperate zones across the Northern Hemisphere. Some varieties grow in shrubby clusters. Others are trees that clump with multiple trunks, and still more grow as classic single-trunk trees. Ask anyone what's special about a birch tree and its beautiful bark immediately comes to mind. Birches are a common choice in landscaping, but they are relatively short-lived trees when compared to other hardwoods, and many become damaged by insects and diseases.
Tip
Most birches are characterized by varicolored or white bark with papery plates, distinctive horizontal markings, and peeling layers; the appearance of the bark often is the feature that gives the species its common name.
Click Play to Learn About Common Species of Birch Trees
Most birch trees grow best in moist soil and they love full sun.
However, the roots might head for your plumbing pipes if a large tree is planted too close to your house. Do not let this deter you though; these are magnificent trees that are not hard to grow and should be a choice for your landscape. Birches are fast-growing trees that can quickly provide benefits to your yard.
Insect pests are most likely to strike a birch tree in areas where it is wounded or diseased. By keeping your trees well pruned and free of damaged branches, you can greatly reduce the likelihood of infestation by bronze birch borer or other insects.
Here are 11 common types of birch trees to consider for your landscape and areas where they are typically grown in the United States and around the world.
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01 of 11
Bog Birch (Betula pumila)
Western Arctic National Parklands/Flickr/CC 2.
0 Bog birch is a medium-sized, short-lived, clump-forming shrub that thrives in wet sites. The plant tolerates occasional flooding, alkaline soil, clay soil, and road salt. When planted in residential landscapes, it grows well around bodies of water or in boggy areas. Bog birch is a good choice for rain gardens.
Other common names include swamp birch, glandular birch, dwarf birch, and resin birch.
- Native Area: North America
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 2 to 9
- Height: 5 to 10 feet
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
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02 of 11
F. D. Richards / Flickr/ CC By 2.0River birch is an increasingly popular, fast-growing tree for the home landscape. It may grow either as a single-trunk tree or a multi-trunk clumping tree. It has distinctive salmon-pink to reddish-brown bark that exfoliates to reveal lighter inner bark providing year-round interest in the landscape. Dark green foliage turns a beautiful buttery yellow in the fall.
River birch has good resistance to the bronze birch borer. It is one of the only truly heat-tolerant birches. River birch may also be known as red birch, black birch, or water birch.
- Native Area: Eastern U.S.
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
- Height: 40 to 70 feet
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
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03 of 11
Cherry Birch (Betula lenta)
Stephen Robson / Getty Images
Cherry birch is a large tree that grows from a single main trunk. Shiny, red-brown bark and yellow foliage make this an attractive tree for lawns and naturalized areas. The bark on mature trees develops vertical cracks that form irregular scaly plates, closely resembling the bark of cherry trees. Flowering in April and May, the tree produces fruiting catkins from August through October and serves as a food source for deer, moose, rabbits, and various birds. This tree also attracts beautiful butterflies to the landscape and is resistant to the bronze birch borer which can devastate other species of birch.
Its broken twigs emit a spicy wintergreen fragrance and fermented sap is an ingredient used in birch beer. Regionally, the cherry birch may be called by other common names, including black birch, sweet birch, mahogany birch, Virginia roundleaf birch, or spice birch.
- Native Area: Eastern U.S., from Maine to northern Georgia
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
- Height: 40 to 70 feet
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
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04 of 11
MAKY_OREL / Pixabay / CC By 0Betula nana is a small dwarf shrub, native to arctic and cool temperate regions, especially tundra landscapes. It will grow in a variety of conditions, though it favors wet but well-drained sites with a rocky, nutrient-poor, acidic soil. It does not tolerate shade well. The dwarf birch is rarely planted in landscapes, but it is important to cover vegetation in cold northern territories.
Other names for this tree include bog birch and arctic birch.
- Native Areas: Greenland, Iceland, northern Europe, northern Asia, and northern North America
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 1 to 8
- Height: 6 inches to 3 feet tall
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
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05 of 11
Eerik / Getty Images
The silver birch has an attractive pendulous habit and distinctive white bark that peels away in papery strips. It grows as a single-trunk tree that gradually transforms from pyramidal in shape to a more rounded, oval crown. Also known as weeping birch or European white birch, the silver birch was once used extensively in landscapes, but its high susceptibility to the bronze birch borer has limited its use in more recent years.
- Native Area: Europe, Asia
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 2 to 7; can be grown in 8 and 9 but will have a shorter life
- Height: 40 to 80 feet, depending on cultivar
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
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06 of 11
John Lord / Flickr / CC By 2.
0 The ornamental interest of Himalayan birch includes pretty spring flowers, rich yellow fall color, and bright white papery bark. It is a medium-sized tree with a single trunk that quickly branches out into a pyramid shape. This birch species is very vulnerable to damage by the bronze birch borer and usually requires removal and/or replacement, especially in warmer zones. It is a heartier and longer-lived tree in cooler climates.
This tree has other common names, including white-barked Himalayan birch and jacquemonti birch.
- Native Area: West Himalayas, Nepal
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 7
- Height: 30 to 50 feet
- Sun Exposure: Full sun; can take some light shade
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07 of 11
Japanese White Birch (Betula platyphylla 'Japanica')
View Photos/a.collectionRF / Getty ImagesThis species, also known as Asian white birch, is a medium to large tree with white bark and thin spreading branches that terminate in drooping branchlets.
This tree grows best in medium to wet, well-drained, sandy, or rocky loam. Although it prefers full sun, the Japanese white birch thrives in northern and eastern exposures that receive some afternoon shade. The main requirement is a consistently moist soil. Like several other members of the birch family, this birch performs best in cooler climates; with warmer zones causing increased susceptibility to birch borer insects. - Native Area: Manchuria, Korea, Japan
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 8
- Height: 40 to 50 feet
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
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08 of 11
Plant Image Library / Flickr / CC By 2.0Primarily native to Alaska, Canada, and northern U.S. states, this tree has lovely white bark and yellow fall color. It can grow either as a single-trunk tree or in small clumps with multiple trunks. Paper bark birch is so-named due to the thin white bark which often peels in paper-like layers from the trunk.
It also is known as the canoe birch or white birch. This is the classic birch tree historically used to make many useful products from footwear to birch-bark canoes. Buds, catkins, and leaves along with twigs and bark are a source of food for birds and other wildlife. The paper bark birch demonstrates some resistance to the bronze birch borer. - Native Area: Northern North America
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 2 to 7
- Height: 45 to 100 feet
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to light shade
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09 of 11
Weeping Birches (Betula pendula var.)
Ron Evans / Getty Images
Trees known as weeping birches generally are different naturally-occurring or cultivated varieties of silver birch (Betula pendula), described above. Exact details such as growing zones and height will depend on the particular variety.
Common varieties include:
- Curly birch (B.
pendula 'Carelica') - Cutleaf weeping European birch (B. pendula 'Gracilis')
- Golden cloud weeping birch (B. pendula 'Golden Cloud')
- Purple weeping birch (B. pendula 'Purpurea')
- Swedish birch (B. pendula 'Dalecarlica' or 'Laciniata')
- Tristis weeping birch (B. pendula 'Tristis')
- Young's weeping birch (B. pendula 'Youngii') (pictured)
- Curly birch (B.
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10 of 11
Water Birch (Betula occidentalis or Betula fontinalis)
Thayne Tuason / Wikimedia Commons / CC By 4.0
Water birch typically occurs along streams in mountainous regions, where it grows in dense thickets. The bark is dark red-brown to blackish, and smooth. Unlike other birch trees, its bark does not peel. This tree is a source of food and lodge material for the common North American beaver.
Other common names for this tree include western birch, red birch, river birch, black birch, and western red birch.
- Native Area: Western North America, mountainous regions
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 7
- Height: Shrubby form can grow 25 feet tall; as a tree, to 40 feet
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
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11 of 11
Cora Niele / Getty ImagesYellow birch, named for the color of its bark, is a relatively long-lived birch that typically grows for 150 years and may even age to 300 years in old-growth forests. It is a single-stemmed tree with yellow-bronze bark that peels in narrow horizontal strips. This is an important species to the North American lumber industry and a major woodland food source for birds and wildlife.
Yellow birch may be known regionally as swamp birch, curly birch, gold birch, or hard birch.
- Native Area: Northeastern North America
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 7
- Height: 50 to 80 feet
- Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
The various species of birch trees in the Betula genus include at least these 11 that are important landscape trees.
Birch trees offer interesting bark color and texture and attractive foliage, but they are relatively short-lived and they are prone to suffer from diseases and insects, especially the bronze birch borer. But birches still make excellent, fast-growing landscape specimens, provided you have realistic expectations.
6 Birch Trees with Gorgeous Fall Foliage
Article Sources
The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Bog Birch. The Morton Arboretum.
The Bronze Birch Borer and Its Management. University of Minnesota Extension Service.
7 Dwarf Birch Trees That Are Perfect For Landscaping
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Birches are known for their beautiful silvery bark and leaves that turn honey-yellow in the fall.
With their generally upright nature, they are a great tree choice for gardeners that might have a lack of space for a larger spreading tree. Four-season beauty makes them stand out in the garden because whether they are showing off their fall foliage, lustrous summer green, or bare and elegant in the winter, birch is a beautiful tree.
We've put together a list of some of the varieties that work well in smaller gardens. Some of these do grow to be medium-sized trees, but others are suitable for containers or living hedges. All of them enjoy sunlight and moderately moist soils. Too much shade and they won't thrive. If your soil is dry, you should consider a soaker hose or some type of irrigation to keep their roots damp. The great thing about birches is they require very minimal pruning, making them an easy tree to care for.
So here we go, seven varieties of beautiful birch trees to make your garden glow.
1. Snow Queen Birch
The Snow Queen Birch, or Betula utilize, is a beautiful tree for the garden.
Unlike other birches, even the young trees have the snowy white bark that adult birches are known for. It's a fast-growing medium-sized tree that will provide much beauty in your garden. Besides its wonderful bark, it is quite showy in the fall with leaves that turn hues of gold. This tree grows well in full sun or partial shade and well-drained soil. Its upright branches make it great for a smaller garden where there's no room for a spreading tree.
2. Fastigiata Birch
The Fastigiata (Upright Birch) or Betula Pendula tree is a unique, upright birch tree with the classic silvery bark of the birch tree. Its branches intertwine with each other and grow inward, which creates the tree's upright appearance. This is a great choice where you might need a vertical accent in the garden. These trees look great planted as a border but will lose their leaves in the winter. The skeletal branches only add to the beauty of that season. These trees prefer slightly acidic soil but will tolerate most soil types.
3. Trinity College Birch
The Trinity College Birch or Betula Jacquemontii is another quiet and graceful white-barked birch tree. This variety will grow to about 2o feet after a time of approximately ten years. Its upright branches are wonderful for an area that can't handle a spreading tree canopy. These do best in full sun and tolerate most soils. One of the coolest things about this varietal is that it was cultivated from a tree at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland.
4. Magical Globe Birch
The Magical Globe Birch is the dwarf form of Betula Pendula, known as Betula Magical Globe. This attractive tree has a lovely ball-shaped top with a silvery-white trunk. Use them in large containers or plant them as a unique border along a drive or other pathway. These trees maintain their rounded lollipop form with very little pruning and can even be grown in large containers. They like moist, well-drained soil and common type of garden soil. They grow in US zones 3-6.
5. Grayswood Ghost Birch
The Grayswood Ghost Birch tree or Betula utilis var. jacquemontii "Grayswood Ghost" is one of the more beautiful of the birch trees. This lovely specimen features milky-white bark, which is a gorgeous contrast to its deep green leaves. In the fall, the leaves turn to a rich golden cream color before falling off and leaving a stark white skeleton of tree branches against your winter landscape. It loves full sun and medium to wet, well-drained soils. It's a low-maintenance tree that requires very little pruning. It can grow up to about 30 feet in height.
6. Cesky Gold Dwarf Birch Tree
Less of a tree and more of a shrub, the Cesky Gold Dwarf Birch Tree or Cesky Gold® Betula x plettkei 'Golden Treasure' is a welcome addition to many gardens. New leaves in the spring bring welcome color to the garden in hues of gold, yellow, and red. As the spring turns to summer, the leaves turn a rich chartreuse green. This shrub works in US zones 2-7 and is equally at home in a container as it is in a border or low hedge.
It's both deer-resistant and pollution-tolerant, so it is a great plant for rural or urban settings. It's readily available at many garden stores.
7. Little King Birch Tree
The Little King or Betula nigra is a fast-growing tree that forms a multi-stemmed tree with a rounded canopy. One of the most elegant things about this tree is its unique peeling bark. Strings of white peel away to reveal a creamy salmon color. Though it greatly prefers wet soils, it can tolerate drier soils. It does well planted along stream beds and ponds. It's also a lovely addition to a cottage-type garden. It's low maintenance and requires very little pruning.
Whether you choose just one variety or all seven of these lovely birches, you can be assured they'll add elegance and beauty to your garden for every season and are the perfect accent piece when you have limited room for large trees.
If you enjoyed this post, please check out these other posts about trees you may enjoy on GardenTabs.
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Types of birches. Unusual birch - the highlight of the landscape!
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Unusual varieties
Birches are different
In this article we will talk about new ornamental plants used in garden design - about dwarf ornamental forms of birch.
A we will be consulted by a specialist in the field of landscape design, Nursery Alexander Semyanikhin.
- Alexander, because the birch in Russia is a national tree, in the middle zone of Russia there are whole birch forests ... There are so many of them - really they are not "common", so to speak, and they are used in garden design?
- Oh, birch as an ornamental plant has great potential in landscape design, it is very interesting to use it to create a variety of park compositions. However, I’ll make a reservation right away - we will talk about dwarf forms of birch, because ordinary birches have significant drawbacks that limit their use. Firstly, other plants do not grow well under a birch - after all, it has a superficial root system, which is very branched and dries up the earth. And the area of the root system significantly exceeds the area of \u200b\u200bthe crown, if it is projected onto the ground.
Well, the shadow, of course, gives a decent birch. You also need to consider that birch does not like heat, so it does not take root very well in the south of the country and requires abundant watering. In addition, there is a lot of debris from it, fallen leaves ... in general, this is not a very suitable tree for decorating your garden. For small gardens or compositions, it is better to use low dwarf birches, which will look great on the lawn. nine0003
- Very interesting. What kind of birches do you offer?
- Let's go and see. Here, look - these are Jung's birches. Do you see how their trunks are intricately curved, what an irregular picturesque decorative shape of the crowns, what thin, low hanging branches? Jung's birch is called the "queen crybaby" because it is the only one of all birches whose branches hang down to the ground.
Jung's birch is a dwarf standard tree, very picturesque, it grows up to 2-2.5 meters, and its crown reaches a diameter of 2-3 meters.
The tree grows slowly - about 30 centimeters per year. The bark of the Young birch, as you can see, is smooth and very white, with only occasional black cracks. The crown of the tree is branched, and the branches are densely covered with resinous warts. nine0003
The leaves of the Jung's birch are smaller than those of a real birch, they bloom in early spring and become pointed, have a triangular shape and look like saw teeth at the edges. In spring, the leaves are light green, and in autumn they turn into an inimitable yellow color. Young birch blooms in April-May, before the leaves bloom, the flowers look like yellowish-brown catkins and are honey-bearing.
Young birch is frost-resistant and does not require shelter for the winter. Yes, and caring for it is very simple - in the first year after planting, it must be watered with preparations that stimulate root formation, and after that it is only necessary to fertilize a couple of times a year and remove dry branches when they appear.
It will not be superfluous to mulch the near-stem circle with a small layer - about five centimeters - with the help of stones, decorative wood chips or simply mowed grass. nine0003
- Magnificent seedlings! And what are these silvery trees with large leaves?
The most beautiful birch variety
- Yeah, you are admiring the three-year-old saplings of the Long Trunk birch, which, in principle, is considered the most beautiful birch on planet Earth. Its bark is painted silvery-white only in the first years of life, and after the sixth year the trunk and all branches become completely snow-white, without a hint of warts and black spots. This beauty came to us from the Himalayas, and its bark is so white that to this day the priests of Shiva write sacred mantras on it, which bring blessing and protection. nine0003
The Long Trunk birch combines the features of the two most popular birches: the useful Dorenbos birch, which has a very white bark and very large matte leaves, and the Yungi drooping birch, which has a drooping crown.
Ultimately, the Long Trunk birch has an absolutely snow-white bark, without warts, large textured leaves and a drooping crown.
The striking feature of this birch is its ability to reach any height you need and stop there. Does it seem incredible? The fact is that Long Trunk is growing like a slate. That is, its trunk lies on the ground. But if at a young age it is tied to a support, then the trunk will hold up, like an ordinary birch. Depending on how high you tie the trunk, this height will be the height of the birch. Because above the place of the garter, all the branches will fall down like weeping forms. nine0030
This ornamental plant becomes a special decoration for the garden in autumn, at which time its oval leaves turn bright yellow and contrast especially effectively with the snow-white trunk and branches. In landscape design, it is used both in group plantings and as a single tree. The Long Trunk birch looks amazing near small ponds, which are located in gardens or parks, near recreation areas or near terraces.
And in general - its snow-white bark and wonderful umbrella hanging crown make this small picturesque tree a real treasure for creating elegant garden compositions! And given that birch phytoncides are a natural stimulant of the respiratory system, and the fragrant substances of young leaves calm the nervous system, then I would legally force everyone to plant Long Trunk birch in my gardens! This, of course, is a joke, but in every joke there is only a fraction of a joke, this is a really amazing plant. nine0003
Issue price
- I just admire these trees! There are really two queens: Jung's birch - the "queen of crybabies" and Long Trunk birch - the most beautiful birch on Earth! I think our readers will be interested in how much such beauties cost, and in what form are dwarf birch seedlings sold?
- Ornamental birch trees are usually sold in stores in their adult state, being grafted. We also have birches. But, in addition, we work with fairly serious companies from which we buy planting material, and therefore we have a special offer for people with low incomes who dream of making their garden beautiful.
