Betula nigra – Red birch, River birch

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Betulaceae

Betula nigra – Red birch, River birch

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Average-sized, graceful tree with pendulous branches. The natural habit is loose and usually multiple-stemmed, in cultivation however, often grown on one stem. Seldom forms an upright trunk, but usually grows into a capricious and irregular tree with irregular, spreading, pendulous branches. At a young age the trunk is yellow brown, but later turns to brown red to nearly completely black. The bark flakes strongly and curves. Young twigs are red brown with dark lenticels. The leaf is shiny, deep green and colours into yellow in autumn. The leaf margin is strikingly double-toothed. The inflorescence is early, extremely generous and due to the long male catkins very striking. Originally it grows in moist soil, but it also grows in drier locations. The tree is shallow rooting with a delicately branching root system and many fibrous rootlets. Most birches are familiar because of their white bark. The Betula nigra's bark flakes off quite soon and turns via reddish-brown to very dark brownish-black.
Size
Root ball size
Packaging
Amount
Delivery period
18-20 clearstem
∅60cm / 150KG
Wire rootballed
Available from november! Pre-order now!
Root ball size
∅60cm / 150KG
Packaging
Wire rootballed
Delivery period
Available from november! Pre-order now!
Stock
Limited stock
20-25 clearstem
∅70cm / 250KG
Wire rootballed
Available from november! Pre-order now!
Root ball size
∅70cm / 250KG
Packaging
Wire rootballed
Delivery period
Available from november! Pre-order now!
Stock
Limited stock
25-30 clearstem
∅80cm / 360KG
Wire rootballed
Available from november! Pre-order now!
Root ball size
∅80cm / 360KG
Packaging
Wire rootballed
Delivery period
Available from november! Pre-order now!
Stock
Limited stock
50-60 clearstem
∅130cm / 1500KG
Wire rootballed
Available from november! Pre-order now!
Root ball size
∅130cm / 1500KG
Packaging
Wire rootballed
Delivery period
Available from november! Pre-order now!
Stock
Limited stock
Size
Root ball size
Packaging
Amount
Delivery period
350/400h, multistem with raised stems
Wire rootballed
Available from november! Pre-order now!
Root ball size
Packaging
Wire rootballed
Delivery period
Available from november! Pre-order now!
Stock
Limited stock
400/450h, multistem with raised stems
Wire rootballed
Available from november! Pre-order now!
Root ball size
Packaging
Wire rootballed
Delivery period
Available from november! Pre-order now!
Stock
Limited stock
600/700h, multistem with raised stems
Wire rootballed
Available from november! Pre-order now!
Root ball size
Packaging
Wire rootballed
Delivery period
Available from november! Pre-order now!
Stock
Available
700/800h, multistem with raised stems
Wire rootballed
Available from november! Pre-order now!
Root ball size
Packaging
Wire rootballed
Delivery period
Available from november! Pre-order now!
Stock
Available
800/900h, multistem with raised stems
Wire rootballed
Available from november! Pre-order now!
Root ball size
Packaging
Wire rootballed
Delivery period
Available from november! Pre-order now!
Stock
Limited stock
Specifications
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Height
10 - 15 m, fast growing
Width
6-10m
Crown
round, half-open crown, capricious growing
Bark and branches
red brown and a strongly scaling bark, later brown black
Leaf
diamond to ovoid, shiny deep green, 3 - 10 cm
Autumn colour
yellow
Flowers
yellow green catkins, ♀ 1 - 1.5 cm, ♂ 6 - 8 cm, mid-April
Fruits
yellow brown fruiting catkins, circa 2.5 cm
Spines/thorns
None
Toxicity
usually not toxic to people, (large) pets and livestock
Soil type
not too dry, no clay with a high pH
Soil moisture
suitable for wet soil, withstand short flood
Paving
tolerates partial paving
Winter hardiness zone
4 (-34,4 to -28,9 °C)
Wind resistance
very good
Other resistances
resistant to frost (WH 1 - 6), can withstand wind
Fauna tree
valuable for butterflies
Application
avenues and broad streets, tree containers, roof gardens
Shape
clearstem tree, multi-stem treem
Origin
eastern and south-eastern part of the USA
Clear stem tree Multi-stem tree acid soil clay soil loamy soil peaty soil sandy soil tolerates partial paving light-loving resistant to frost (WH 1 - 6) suitable for wet soil withstand short flood can withstand wind 1st size , taller than 12 metres half-open crown green yellowgreen early sprout fast growing all species Attractive autumn colour valuable for butterflies non-toxic (usually) Capricious growing playground tree
Related projects
Privat Garden Prague
Frequently asked questions
Betula nigra

Betula nigra can eventually reach a height of 10 - 15 m, fast growing, depending on the site and climate conditions.

Betula nigra is fast growing and can eventually reach a height of 10 - 15 m, fast growing, depending on the site and climate conditions.

The leaves of Betula nigra turn yellow in autumn.

The right time to plant Betula nigra is during the dormancy period. In Western Europe, Betula nigra with root balls can generally be planted from mid-November to late April, although this depends strongly on the climatic conditions and the species of tree.

Betula nigra blooms in april.
General