Woody > Betula > Betula populifolia > Betula populifolia
Betula populifolia
Grey Birch
Origin: Canada and the United States of America.
Mike's
Opinion
"
Easily identified due to the black triangular marks at the base of the branches. Not as showy as the traditional Paper Birch however well worth including in the landscape planting.
Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)
"
| Family |
| Betulaceae |
| Genus |
| Betula |
| Species |
| populifolia |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Tree (deciduous) |
| Pronunciation |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 3 - 6 |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 1a - 6a |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H7 - H6 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| (-40) - (-18) |
| Temperature (°F) |
| (-40) - 0 |
| Height |
| 6-12 m |
| Spread |
| 3-6 m |
Photographs
Cultivars
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Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| Narrow conical crown, multi stemmed and often planted as a “clump birch”. Overall fine textured. This species has been placed on the IUCN Red List as least concern. |
| Cultivation |
| Transplant in spring. Does not do well soils. Will grow in sandy, rocky, gravelly sites and also heavier soils. Tolerates wet and dry conditions very well. Full sun but will develop chlorosis in extremely high pH soils. |
| Shape |
| Conical. |
| Growth |
| Medium |
| ID Characteristic |
| Leaf tapers to a point, and may have minor damaged leaves. Black triangular patches on bark at branch bases. Tree is conical in shape. |
| Pests |
| Leaf miner and cankers are most common. More resistant to bronze birch borer than other birch species. |
| Habitat |
| Occurs naturally in wet soil. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| Thin, smooth, reddish brown on young trunks becoming chalky white with prominent, triangular black patches below the bases of the branches. Looses colour quickly, becoming dirty gray, does not peel readily. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description |
| Imbricate, 6 mm in length, brown, smooth. |
| Leaf Description |
| Alternate, simple leaves that are 5 - 9 cm in length. Double serrate margins and long acuminate tip on ovate or triangular leaf. Leafs appear early and are dark green and glabrous. |
| Flower Description |
| Staminate 5 - 9 cm in length. Catkin borne singularly at the end of the branches and rarely in pairs. |
| Fruit Description |
| Flowering small nut (nutlet), borne in 1.9-3.2 cm in length. Cylindrical catkins. |
| Colour Description |
| Dark glossy green in summer changing to yellow in autumn. Leafs are out early and provide a nice “spring green”. |
| Texture Description |
| Blooms in April, but catkins can be visible prior to bloom. Monoecious: Male and female catkins. |
| Notable Specimens |
| Westonbirt, The National Arboretum, Tetbury, Gloucestershire, England. |
| Propagation |
| Cuttings taken in July treated with 50 ppm IBA for 6 hours rooted 30%. Seed needs to be cold stratified for 60 - 90 days, seed requires light during the germination process. |
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