Zones 6-9

Zones 5-9

Zones 5-9

There are about 53 species of deciduous or evergreen shrubs and trees in this genus.  They occur in deciduous woodland, often near rivers in warm temperate and tropical regions from Southeastern Asia to Northern Australia.  They are grown for their conical, brightly colored panicles of flowers in shades of pink, mauve and white, with characteristic 5 crinkled petals, and for their often smooth, peeling bark.  The leaves vary greatly in shaped within the genus, but are usually opposite.  Where marginally hardy, grow against a warm, sunny wall.  In warmer climate, grow as specimens, in group plantings, or as a hedge or screen.

Grow in moderately fertile, humus rich, well drained soil in full sun.  Shelter from strong winds.

Prone to dieback, powdery mildew, aphids, scale insects, mealybugs, and whiteflies.

L. floribunda – This native to Myanmar, Southern Thailand and Malay Peninsula, is a tree up to 40′ feet tall with gray barked trunk and rather open crown. The leaves are broad and somewhat glossy, The flowers resemble those of the better known L. speciosa, with each mauve-pink flower about 2″ across, in few flowered sprays.

Zones 11-12

There are about 60 species of deciduous tall to medium sized trees and shrubs, which growth is initially fast, in this genus.  They occur in diverse habitats, including woodland, moors, mountains, and heathland, throughout the Northern Hemisphere including arctic zones.  They produce alternate serrated, usually ovate, mid to dark green leaves.  Male and female flowers are borne in separate catkins on the same plant in spring, the male catkins are usually yellow-brown, pendent, and longer than the females, which are erect at first, becoming pendent.  Birches are grown for their ornamental bark (glossy white or brown and/or peels off in paper like strips), colorful autumn foliage (usually gold), attractive male catkins, and graceful, open habit.  Many are suitable for a small garden, either as isolated specimens or in small groups.  They are usually shallow rooted.  Bark was once used as paper by Ancient Buddhist and timber as use in the furniture trade.  Sap and leaves are used medicinally as food or drink an as a dye

Grow in moderately fertile, moist but well drained soil in full sun or light dappled shade, but some adapt to poorer, shallower, even boggy soil.

Prone to various fungi including armillaria mealea and piptoporus betulinus that cause twig dieback.  Also affected by leaf spots, viruses, anthracnose, rust, wood rooting fungi, borers (especially bronze birch borer), leaf miners, aphids, skeletonizers, leaf hoppers, caterpillars, gypsy moth larvae.

B. ‘Trost’s Dwarf’ – This grafted as a standard slender stemmed shrub grows 5′ feet tall and wide. It has gracefully arching branches that carry ovate, mid green leaves, to 2″ long, finely cut and divided into long, slender lobes. Not known to produce catkins.

Zones 5-7

There are about 60 species of deciduous tall to medium sized trees and shrubs, which growth is initially fast, in this genus.  They occur in diverse habitats, including woodland, moors, mountains, and heathland, throughout the Northern Hemisphere including arctic zones.  They produce alternate serrated, usually ovate, mid to dark green leaves.  Male and female flowers are borne in separate catkins on the same plant in spring, the male catkins are usually yellow-brown, pendent, and longer than the females, which are erect at first, becoming pendent.  Birches are grown for their ornamental bark (glossy white or brown and/or peels off in paper like strips), colorful autumn foliage (usually gold), attractive male catkins, and graceful, open habit.  Many are suitable for a small garden, either as isolated specimens or in small groups.  They are usually shallow rooted.  Bark was once used as paper by Ancient Buddhist and timber as use in the furniture trade.  Sap and leaves are used medicinally as food or drink an as a dye

Grow in moderately fertile, moist but well drained soil in full sun or light dappled shade, but some adapt to poorer, shallower, even boggy soil.

Prone to various fungi including armillaria mealea and piptoporus betulinus that cause twig dieback.  Also affected by leaf spots, viruses, anthracnose, rust, wood rooting fungi, borers (especially bronze birch borer), leaf miners, aphids, skeletonizers, leaf hoppers, caterpillars, gypsy moth larvae.

B. szechuanica – B. platyphylla var. szechuanica – Szechuan Birch – This vigorous conical tree from Southwestern China grows 70′ feet tall and 30′ feet wide. It has chalky white bark when mature. It produces ovate, leathery, dark bluish green leaves, to 4″ long, turning golden yellow in autumn.  In early spring it bears yellow green male catkins, to 3″ long.

Zones 5-7

There are about 60 species of deciduous tall to medium sized trees and shrubs, which growth is initially fast, in this genus.  They occur in diverse habitats, including woodland, moors, mountains, and heathland, throughout the Northern Hemisphere including arctic zones.  They produce alternate serrated, usually ovate, mid to dark green leaves.  Male and female flowers are borne in separate catkins on the same plant in spring, the male catkins are usually yellow-brown, pendent, and longer than the females, which are erect at first, becoming pendent.  Birches are grown for their ornamental bark (glossy white or brown and/or peels off in paper like strips), colorful autumn foliage (usually gold), attractive male catkins, and graceful, open habit.  Many are suitable for a small garden, either as isolated specimens or in small groups.  They are usually shallow rooted.  Bark was once used as paper by Ancient Buddhist and timber as use in the furniture trade.  Sap and leaves are used medicinally as food or drink an as a dye

Grow in moderately fertile, moist but well drained soil in full sun or light dappled shade, but some adapt to poorer, shallower, even boggy soil.

Prone to various fungi including armillaria mealea and piptoporus betulinus that cause twig dieback.  Also affected by leaf spots, viruses, anthracnose, rust, wood rooting fungi, borers (especially bronze birch borer), leaf miners, aphids, skeletonizers, leaf hoppers, caterpillars, gypsy moth larvae.

B. schmiddtii – This deciduous tree from Japan, Korea and nearby parts of China can grow to 100′ feet tall. It has a scaly, dark brown bark that is furrowed into large plates. It produces very light green leaves to 1 ½-3″ long, with pointed tips and irregular serrations.  Its catkins are short, held erect and occur singly or in pairs.

Zones 5-9

There are about 60 species of deciduous tall to medium sized trees and shrubs, which growth is initially fast, in this genus.  They occur in diverse habitats, including woodland, moors, mountains, and heathland, throughout the Northern Hemisphere including arctic zones.  They produce alternate serrated, usually ovate, mid to dark green leaves.  Male and female flowers are borne in separate catkins on the same plant in spring, the male catkins are usually yellow-brown, pendent, and longer than the females, which are erect at first, becoming pendent.  Birches are grown for their ornamental bark (glossy white or brown and/or peels off in paper like strips), colorful autumn foliage (usually gold), attractive male catkins, and graceful, open habit.  Many are suitable for a small garden, either as isolated specimens or in small groups.  They are usually shallow rooted.  Bark was once used as paper by Ancient Buddhist and timber as use in the furniture trade.  Sap and leaves are used medicinally as food or drink an as a dye

Grow in moderately fertile, moist but well drained soil in full sun or light dappled shade, but some adapt to poorer, shallower, even boggy soil.

Prone to various fungi including armillaria mealea and piptoporus betulinus that cause twig dieback.  Also affected by leaf spots, viruses, anthracnose, rust, wood rooting fungi, borers (especially bronze birch borer), leaf miners, aphids, skeletonizers, leaf hoppers, caterpillars, gypsy moth larvae

B. raddeana – This large shrub or small tree found from the Black Sea to the Caspian Sea grows 10-20′ feet tall. It has silvery bark is often tinted pink and the young twigs have a velvety down. The pointed oval leaves are up to 2″ long and almost as wide, with serrated edges.  It is rarely grown.

Zones 5-9

There are about 60 species of deciduous tall to medium sized trees and shrubs, which growth is initially fast, in this genus.  They occur in diverse habitats, including woodland, moors, mountains, and heathland, throughout the Northern Hemisphere including arctic zones.  They produce alternate serrated, usually ovate, mid to dark green leaves.  Male and female flowers are borne in separate catkins on the same plant in spring, the male catkins are usually yellow-brown, pendent, and longer than the females, which are erect at first, becoming pendent.  Birches are grown for their ornamental bark (glossy white or brown and/or peels off in paper like strips), colorful autumn foliage (usually gold), attractive male catkins, and graceful, open habit.  Many are suitable for a small garden, either as isolated specimens or in small groups.  They are usually shallow rooted.  Bark was once used as paper by Ancient Buddhist and timber as use in the furniture trade.  Sap and leaves are used medicinally as food or drink an as a dye

Grow in moderately fertile, moist but well drained soil in full sun or light dappled shade, but some adapt to poorer, shallower, even boggy soil.

Prone to various fungi including armillaria mealea and piptoporus betulinus that cause twig dieback.  Also affected by leaf spots, viruses, anthracnose, rust, wood rooting fungi, borers (especially bronze birch borer), leaf miners, aphids, skeletonizers, leaf hoppers, caterpillars, gypsy moth larvae.

B. pumila – American Dwarf Birch – This small erect shrub from Northeastern America grows 3-15′ feet tall. It has densely hairy twigs that carry green leaves with whitish undersides, up to 1 1/4″ long, are rounded, elliptic, or egg shaped and are roughly serrated. I*n early spring it bears catkins up to 1″ long.

Zones 2-8

There are about 60 species of deciduous tall to medium sized trees and shrubs, which growth is initially fast, in this genus.  They occur in diverse habitats, including woodland, moors, mountains, and heathland, throughout the Northern Hemisphere including arctic zones.  They produce alternate serrated, usually ovate, mid to dark green leaves.  Male and female flowers are borne in separate catkins on the same plant in spring, the male catkins are usually yellow-brown, pendent, and longer than the females, which are erect at first, becoming pendent.  Birches are grown for their ornamental bark (glossy white or brown and/or peels off in paper like strips), colorful autumn foliage (usually gold), attractive male catkins, and graceful, open habit.  Many are suitable for a small garden, either as isolated specimens or in small groups.  They are usually shallow rooted.  Bark was once used as paper by Ancient Buddhist and timber as use in the furniture trade.  Sap and leaves are used medicinally as food or drink an as a dye

Grow in moderately fertile, moist but well drained soil in full sun or light dappled shade, but some adapt to poorer, shallower, even boggy soil.

Prone to various fungi including armillaria mealea and piptoporus betulinus that cause twig dieback.  Also affected by leaf spots, viruses, anthracnose, rust, wood rooting fungi, borers (especially bronze birch borer), leaf miners, aphids, skeletonizers, leaf hoppers, caterpillars, gypsy moth larvae.

B. pubescens subsp. tortuosa – Downy Birch – This narrowly conical tree with densely ascending branches from Europe, Northern Asia, Greenland and Iceland grows 70′ feet tall and 30′ feet wide. It has a contorted dark brown trunk which has peeling bark with conspicuous horizontal lenticels, bark remains pale brownish cream to white at the base. It produces diamond shaped, sharply, unevenly toothed, mid green leaves, to 2 ½” long, turn yellow in autumn.  In early spring it bears pendent, yellow-brown male catkins, to 2 ½” long, females are about a 1″ long.  Tolerates poor or wet, acidic soils.

Zones 5-7