Birch Varieties

We carry two birch varieties: River Birch and Whitespire Birch.

River Birch is a showy specimen tree known for its exfoliating bark, often planted in clumps of two to four. Dark lateral branches form a pyramidal to oval crown, and the salmon-brown peeling bark gives it year-round interest. Leaves emerge green in spring and turn yellow in fall; flowers and fruit are brown and inconspicuous, so there’s no significant litter. It prefers acidic soils, it can become chlorotic without them, and reaches around 50 feet tall and 35 feet wide, growing 2-2.5 feet a year. Watch for bronze birch borer.

Whitespire Birch is valued for its bright white bark and yellow fall color, reaching 20-40 feet tall and 10-20 feet wide. It flowers in April, needs medium to wet water, and tolerates deer browsing, though it’s a higher-maintenance tree that offers strong winter interest.

Growing conditions

River Birch

• Hardiness zone: 3-4
• Mature height: 50 feet
• Mature spread: 35 feet
• Growth rate: 2-2.5 feet per year
• Bark: Salmon-colored, peeling
• Sun: Full sun to part shade
• Water: Medium
• Fall color: Yellow to burgundy
• Tolerates: Bronze birch borer risk; needs wet, well-drained soils

Whitespire Birch

• Hardiness zone: 3-6
• Mature height: 20-40 feet
• Mature spread: 10-20 feet
• Bloom time: April
• Sun: Full sun to part shade
• Water: Medium to wet
• Fall color: Yellow
• Maintenance: High
• Tolerates: Deer