River Birch
Betula nigra
The river birch is naturally found in floodplains making it well adapted to harsh urban settings. It has distinctive bark that peels in large flat strips to reveal colors from cream to reddish-brown. Long catkins (the bundle of seeds) full of tiny flowers hang from the tree in the spring and the leaves turn bright yellow in the fall. This is one of the shortest-lived and smallest of the shade trees.
Tree Height |
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Mature Crown Spread |
Mature Tree Height |
40-70 FT |
Mature Crown Width |
25-50 FT |
Growth Per Year |
1-2+ FT |
View Fact Sheet for River Birch