Plant Guide

Betula nigra L.
river birch
BENI

Summary
Duration	Perennial
Growth Habit	Tree
U.S. Nativity	Native to U.S.
Federal T/E Status
National Wetland Indicator	FACW, OBL

Morphology/Physiology
Active Growth Period	Spring and Summer
After Harvest Regrowth Rate
Bloat
C:N Ratio	Medium
Coppice Potential	No
Fall Conspicuous	No
Fire Resistant	No
Flower Color	Yellow
Flower Conspicuous	No
Foliage Color	Green
Foliage Porosity Summer	Moderate
Foliage Porosity Winter	Porous
Foliage Texture	Medium
Fruit/Seed Color	Brown
Fruit/Seed Conspicuous	No
Growth Form	Single Stem
Growth Rate	Rapid
Height at 20 Years, Maximum (feet)	35
Height, Mature (feet)	80
Known Allelopath	No
Leaf Retention	No
Lifespan	Moderate
Low Growing Grass	No
Nitrogen Fixation
Resprout Ability	Yes
Shape and Orientation	Erect
Toxicity	None

Growth Requirements
Adapted to Coarse Textured Soils	No
Adapted to Fine Textured Soils	Yes
Adapted to Medium Textured Soils	Yes
Anaerobic Tolerance	Low
CaCO3 Tolerance	None
Cold Stratification Required	No
Drought Tolerance	Low
Fertility Requirement	Medium
Fire Tolerance	High
Frost Free Days, Minimum	150
Hedge Tolerance	None
Moisture Use	High
pH, Minimum	4
pH, Maximum	6
Planting Density per Acre, Minimum	300
Planting Density per Acre, Maximum	700
Precipitation, Minimum	30
Precipitation, Maximum	50
Root Depth, Minimum (inches)	20
Salinity Tolerance	None
Shade Tolerance	Intolerant
Temperature, Minimum (°F)	-23

Reproduction
Bloom Period	Mid Spring
Commercial Availability	Routinely Available
Fruit/Seed Abundance	High
Fruit/Seed Period Begin	Spring
Fruit/Seed Period End	Spring
Fruit/Seed Persistence	No
Propagated by Bare Root	Yes
Propagated by Bulb	No
Propagated by Container	Yes
Propagated by Corm	No
Propagated by Cuttings	No
Propagated by Seed	Yes
Propagated by Sod	No
Propagated by Sprigs	No
Propagated by Tubers	No
Seed per Pound	374400
Seed Spread Rate	Rapid
Seedling Vigor	High
Small Grain	No
Vegetative Spread Rate	Slow

Suitability/Use
Berry/Nut/Seed Product	No
Christmas Tree Product	No
Fodder Product	No
Fuelwood Product	Medium
Lumber Product	No
Naval Store Product	No
Nursery Stock Product	No
Palatable Browse Animal	Medium
Palatable Graze Animal
Palatable Human	No
Post Product	No
Protein Potential	Low
Pulpwood Product	Yes
Veneer Product	No

Kingdom Plantae -- Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta -- Vascular plants

Superdivision Spermatophyta -- Seed plants

Division Magnoliophyta -- Flowering plants

Class Magnoliopsida -- Dicotyledons

Subclass Hamamelididae

Order Fagales

Family Betulaceae -- Birch family

Genus Betula L. -- birch P

Species Betula nigra L. -- river birch P

Alternative Names

Japanese red birch, black birch, red birch, water birch

Uses

Economic: River birch sap can be fermented to make birch beer or vinegar. The wood is used to manufacture inexpensive furniture, woodenware, wooden shoes, basket materials, toys, staves, and fuel.

Ethnobotanic: The leaves were chewed, or used as an infusion in the treatment of dysentery. An infusion of the bark was used to treat stomach problems and difficult urination (Moerman 1998).

Landscaping &Wildlife: Betula nigra is a very attractive ornamental tree. It is a desirable specimen for estates, golf courses, parks, and public grounds. Many species of birds eat the seeds including wild turkey and grouse. The leaves are browsed by white-tailed deer.

Conservation: River birch is used for strip mine reclamation and erosion control (Grelen 1990). It is used in forested riparian buffers to help reduce stream bank erosion, protect water quality, and enhance aquatic environments.

Status

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s current status, such as, state noxious status and wetland indicator values.

Description

General: Birch family (Betulaceae). River birch is a deciduous medium to large-sized native tree. The leaves are alternate, double serrated, wedge-shaped, and sharp pointed. The flowers are unisexual, borne in separate male and female catkins on the same tree. The bark is light brown to buff, paperlike; exfoliating on young trees, turning to scaly bark on older trees.

Distribution: River birch is distributed throughout North America. It extends from southern New

England, west to Kansas and Minnesota, and south to Texas and Florida. For current distribution, please consult the Plant profile page for this species on the PLANTS Web site.

Adaptation

River birch can survive on drier soils, although it is best adapted to moist soils and is usually found along stream banks and in swampy bottomlands that are periodically flooded. Maximum development is reached in fertile areas with a pH of 6.5 to 4.0. It is intolerant of shade and requires full sunlight.

Establishment

Propagation by Seed: Sow seeds in containers or seed trays containing a seed germination medium to which a slow release fertilizer is added. Firm the medium and sow seeds thinly and evenly on top, and cover to desired depth with planting medium (Heuser 1997). Place pots in a sunny location in a cold frame. When seedlings are large enough to handle they should be placed into individual pots and grown in a cold frame for their first winter.

Management

Fertilize young trees in late winter before new growth begins to ensure faster growth. Don’t prune this birch and other birches until summer because they are “bleeders” and should not be cut when the sap is flowing.

River birch is quite disease resistant but has severe problems in early spring with aphids and is favored by gypsy moth larvae.

Cultivars, Improved and Selected Materials (and area of origin)

Readily available through commercial nurseries. Contact your local Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly Soil Conservation Service) office for more information. Look in the phone book under ”United States Government”. The Natural Resources Conservation Service will be listed under the subheading “Department of Agriculture.”

References

Britton, N.L. 1908. North American trees. Henry Holt & Company, New York, New York.

Coombes, A.J. 1992. Eyewitness handbooks: trees. Dorling Kindersley, Inc., New York, New York.

Dirr, M.A. 1997 Dirr’s hardy trees and shrubs: an illustrated encyclopedia. Timber Press, Inc., Portland, Oregon.

Dirr, M.A. 1990. Manual of woody landscape plants: their identification, ornamental characteristics, culture, propagation, and uses. 4^th ed. Stipes Publishing Co., Champaigne, Illinois.

Great Plains Flora Association 1986. Flora of the great plains. University Press of Kansas, Lawerence, Kansas.

Grelen, H.E. 1990. Betula nigra. Silvics of North America. Volume 2. Hardwoods. United States Department of Agriculture. Agriculture Handbook 654, Washington, D.C.

Grimm, W.C. 1967. Familiar trees of America. Harper & Row, Publishers, New York, New York.

Grimm, W.C. 1983. The illustrated book of trees. Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Heuser, C.W. 1997 The complete book of plant propagation. The Taunton Press, Newtown, Connecticut.

Harrar, E.S. & J.G. Harrar 1962. Guide to southern trees. 2^nd ed. Dover Publications Inc., New York, New York.

Lyon, H.H. & W.T. Johnson 1988. Insects that feed on trees and shrubs. 2^nd ed. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, New York.

Moerman, D. 1998. Native American ethnobotany. Timber Press, Oregon.

Odgenwald, N.G. & J.R. Turner. Plants for the south: a guide for landscape design. Claitor’s Publishing Division, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Preston, R.J. Jr. 1948. North American trees. 2^nd ed. The Iowa State College Press, Ames, Iowa.

Sargent, C.S. 1933. Manual of the trees of North America. The Riverside Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Rosendahl, C.O. 1955. Trees & shrubs of the upper midwest. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Prepared By

Jammie Favorite

Formerly, USDA, NRCS, National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Species Coordinator

Lincoln M. Moore

USDA, NRCS, National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Edited: 10jan02 jsp; 14feb03 ahv; 31may06 jsp

For more information about this and other plants, please contact your local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the PLANTS Web site<https://plants.usda.gov> or the Plant Materials Program Web site <https://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov>

Attribution: U.S. Department of Agriculture