Birch Varieties

We carry two birch varieties, both sold as singles: River Birch and White Paper Birch.

River Birch is a showy specimen tree known for its exfoliating bark, often planted in clumps of two to four. Dark lateral branches form a pyramidal to oval crown, and the salmon-brown peeling bark gives it year-round interest. Leaves emerge green in spring and turn yellow in fall; flowers and fruit are brown and inconspicuous, so there’s no significant litter. It prefers acidic soils, it can become chlorotic without them, and reaches around 50 feet tall and 35 feet wide, growing 2-2.5 feet a year. Watch for bronze birch borer.

White Paper Birch is the native white birch of Minnesota’s north woods, known for chalk-white bark that peels in papery strips and clear yellow fall color. It grows 50-70 feet tall with an open, oval crown and is one of the hardiest trees we sell. It does best where its roots stay cool and moist, so give it mulch and steady water, and keep it out of hot, dry, reflected-heat spots, where stress invites bronze birch borer.

Growing conditions

River Birch

• Hardiness zone: 3-4
• Mature height: 50 feet
• Mature spread: 35 feet
• Growth rate: 2-2.5 feet per year
• Bark: Salmon-colored, peeling
• Sun: Full sun to part shade
• Water: Medium
• Fall color: Yellow to burgundy
• Tolerates: Bronze birch borer risk; needs wet, well-drained soils

White Paper Birch

• Hardiness zone: 2
• Mature height: 50-70 feet
• Mature spread: 25-35 feet
• Growth rate: 1.5-2 feet per year
• Bark: Chalk-white, peeling in papery strips
• Sun: Full sun
• Water: Medium; keep roots cool and moist
• Fall color: Yellow
• Tolerates: Cold; not heat or drought