water birch
Betula occidentalis
USDA zones4 to 6
SunHandles full sun to full shade
WaterHandles moderate to wet soil
Size10 to 40 feet tall10 to 30 feet wide
- Bloom season
- Spring
- Bloom color
- Brown (male) and green (female)
- Foliage color
- Green.
Garden uses
Notes
Water birch (Betula occidentalis) is a tree for hedges. It is hardy to USDA zone 4, or down to -30°F (-34°C). This plant likes full sun to full shade and average to wet soil. Its shiny, reddish-brown bark and drooping branches give it a graceful look, and the red twigs add winter color. The leaves turn bright yellow in fall. Wait to prune until summer, when the sap has stopped flowing.
Pairs well with Cinnamon fern, Francee hosta, and Balsam fir.
Native range
Western North America.