River Birch

Betula nigra | Zones 4-9 | Soil: Widely Adaptable

The River Birch is world famous for its silky, smooth, light-tan bark that peels and exfoliates to reveal tantalizing glimpses of beautiful salmon-pink and cinnamon, brown-colored patches beneath. The bark is an outstanding ornamental feature.

Lovely all year long, the River Birch is truly stunning in the winter.  This is the hardiest of all Birches. It's a fast-growing and trouble-free tree. 

Silver Birch 

Betula pendula | Zones 2-7 | Soil: Widely Adaptable

Silver birch, also commonly known as European white birch, is a cool-climate deciduous tree with a distinctive stark white and exfoliating bark and light yellow catkins and foliage that gives it seasonal interest. Silver birch grows best in cooler conditions, so it is not ideal for areas that suffer from high humidity and warm summers. The tree does not do well in hot, dry, or humid climates.

White Canoe Birch (Paper Birch) 

Betula papyrifera | Zones 2-7 | Soil: Widely Adaptable

The Paper Birch displays the classic chalky white bark of a birch tree and makes a great contrast to almost any landscape.  The golden color of this tree in autumn is quite a sight and the unique bark color provides great winter interest. The Paper Birch has characteristics that make it a favorite as an ornamental specimen or planted in clumps of 3, 5 or 7.

Whitespire Birch 

Betula populifolia | Zones 3-7 | Soil: Widely Adaptable

The Whitespire Birch has green, glossy leaves in spring & summer, turning yellow in the fall. It can be purchased as a single stem or clump. The tree has a medium to slow growth rate. It likes a somewhat lighter soil. It is a good selection if you want a birch tree but do not want the mature size of a River Birch tree. The Whitespire Birch’s bark resembles a Paper Birch, but is resistant to the Bronze Birch borer.

Yellow Birch 

Betula alleghaniensis | Zones 3-7 | Soil: Moist, Well-Drained

Yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis) is the most important lumber species in its genus and a key component of northern hardwood forests across its range. It's a large, deciduous tree, reaching heights of 60 to 80 feet, with some reaching over 100 feet tall. It's easily identified by its distinctive yellowish-bronze, flaky bark, which peels away in thin, papery strips. 

 The sap of the yellow birch can be tapped in early spring to produce a sweet syrup or fermented into a beer, although its sugar content is lower than that of maple sap.