Woody > Betula > Betula nana > Betula nana
Betula nana
Dwarf Birch
Origin: Greenland and Iceland, and in northern latitudes of Europe and North America
Mike's
Opinion
"
A good plant if a shrub is what your looking for. Has nice autumn colour, as well as a rich green colour throughout spring and summer. However is does not give off any shade, or have any value along property lines. Betula nana could only serve close to a house or building as ground cover. It can grow in areas that have very cold winters so it is a tough plant that will survive the winters in Southern Ontario easily.
Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)
"
| Family |
| Betulaceae |
| Genus |
| Betula |
| Species |
| nana |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Shrub (deciduous) |
| Pronunciation |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 0a - 0b |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 1 |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H7 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| (-46) - (-40) |
| Temperature (°F) |
| (-50) - (-40) |
| Height |
| 1 m |
| Spread |
| 1-2 m |
Photographs
Cultivars
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Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| A small shrub, reaching only about 1 m in height and just as wide. It has small leaves and stiff branches that grow along the ground, turning upright at the tips. This species has been placed on the IUCN Red List as least concern. |
| Landscape |
| Use close to buildings as a ground cover, or along sidewalks and walkways, or in rock gardens. |
| Shape |
| Ground cover, small shrub. |
| Growth |
| Medium |
| ID Characteristic |
| Multi-stemmed shrub, with leaves that are a dark green on top, and double veined on the underside. |
| Habitat |
| Grows well in swamps, bogs, forest beds, and at the base of mountains |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| A stiff, grey bark. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description |
| 2 cm long, sharp at the point. |
| Leaf Description |
| Fairly small, only about 2 cm in diameter, thick, hairless, with rounded teeth. Autumn colour is yellow, orange, or red. |
| Flower Description |
| The males hang limply at the end of twigs to spread pollen, and the females grow from buds beyond expanding leaves, catkins are usually 2-4cm in length. |
| Fruit Description |
| A small winged nut. |
| Colour Description |
| Green leaves, with an orange, yellow or red autumn colour, light brown bark. |
| Texture Description |
| Fine-Meduim |
| Notable Specimens |
| Growing naturally in Northern Ontario, and over Iceland and Greenland. |
| Propagation |
| Never plant too deep as the seed needs to be moist, and germination occurs by exposure to sunlight. Plant as soon as ripe in moist, sandy, shaded soils. Seedlings can be transplanted after 1 year. |
References
François Lemay Nursery. Lanoraie, Quebec.
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