Canoe Birch (Paper Birch or White Birch)
Betula papyrifera (BETULACEAE)
Planting and Growing Canoe Birch Trees
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow canoe birch, paper birch, or white birch trees in the accompanying table’s tabs:
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- Foliage, catkins, cones, and seeds of canoe birch, paper birch, or white birch trees
- Growing conditions for canoe birch (paper birch or white birch)
- When to plant canoe birch (paper birch or white birch)
- How to plant canoe birch (paper birch or white birch)
- How to prune canoe birch (paper birch or white birch)
- Watering, fertilizing, and care of canoe birch (paper birch or white birch)
- Landscape uses of canoe birch (paper birch or white birch)
- Pest and disease control for canoe birch (paper birch or white birch)
Growing Canoe Birch Trees
Over 10 cultivars of graceful, fast-growing, short-lived, upright, deciduous trees, to 100 ft. (30 m) tall with matte, light green, oval, pointed, finely toothed leaves, to 4 in. (10 cm) long, turning yellow in autumn.
Patterned gray and silver bark peels in paperlike strips. Sometimes multitrunked.
Canoe Birch Planting and Care Guide
Catkins, Cones, and Seeds
Insignificant green flowers borne in catkins in spring, to 4 in. (10 cm) long, form scaly seed clusters, to 2 in. (50 mm) long, in late summer, persisting to winter.
Best Climates
U.S.D.A. Plant Hardiness Zones 2–9. Hardy.
Soil Type and Fertility
Moist, well-drained soil. Fertility: Rich–average. 6.0–7.0 pH.
Where and How to Plant
Full sun. Space 10–15 ft. (3–4.5 m) apart.
Proper Care
Easy. Keep evenly moist; some cultivars are drought tolerant. Fertilize annually in spring. Prune sparingly in late spring. Propagate by cuttings, layering, seed.
About This Species
Good choice for accents, borders in cottage, meadow, woodland gardens. Seed attracts birds in winter. Borer, leaf miner susceptible.
Common Species and Varieties of Birch
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- Betula albo-sinensis, Chinese paper birch
- Betula alleghaniensis, yellow birch
- Betula davurica, Dahurian birch
- Betula jacquemontii, Indian birch
- Betula lenta, sweet birch
- Betula maximowicziana, monarch birch
- Betula nana, dwarf arctic birch
- Betula nigra, river birch
- Betula occidentalis, water birch
- B. papyrifera, canoe birch
- Betula pendula, weeping birch
- Betula platyphylla japonica, Japanese birch
- Betula platyphylla szechuanica, Chinese birch
- Betula populifolia, gray birch
About Birch Trees
The Betula genus includes nearly 60 species of graceful, open, broad-leaved, deciduous trees, many with narrow, erect habits and often thin, nodding or weeping branches.
All birch species are native to the northern hemisphere’s temperate zones and are found throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. All are hardy and grow best in cold-winter climates.
Birches are prized for their dainty foliage and showy bark. Their leaves emerge bronze, light green, or maroon, become deep green above and silver gray beneath, and turn golden yellow in autumn.
Marked and patterned, birch bark is attractively colored in hues from reddish brown to icy silver. Cultivars have been developed with dramatic foliage colors.
Birch are fast-growing, short-lived trees that reach 25–90 ft. (7.5–27 m) tall. A species or cultivar exists for nearly every garden need throughout their climate range.
They are susceptible to birch leaf miner, a pest that causes leaves to turn yellow and prematurely drop, as well as aphid, borers, sawfly, and gypsy moth. Nectaria canker can infect their bark.
Choose from among the popularly cultivated species above.
Planting and Caring for Birch Trees
Birch trees are popular in landscape gardens as ornamental trees that rapidly fill small-space areas, create island plantings in a natural grass planting or manicured lawn, or provide a seasonal screen. They are broad-leaved, deciduous, and appear constantly in motion due to their long-stemmed leaves which wave and quiver in any breeze.
Birches grow in a variety of forms, from those with single, narrow trunks to multitrunked, nearly vining species that retain a shrublike character. They are good trees for coppicing in natural landscapes along streams.
Plant birch trees in moderately rich, moist, well-drained soil that is slightly acidic. Since all landscape trees grow best when planted in unamended soil, test the acid-alkaline balance of your site before you plant. Birches should have soils in the 6.0–7.0 pH range. Choose from those species that fit your climate and site.
When planting a birch, carefully match the depth of the hole to the soil line on the rootball of your tree, taking care to avoid too-deep planting. Backfill around the rootball with native soil and keep the tree well watered until it becomes established and begins to spurt new growth.
Birches are a good choice for seasonal shade and bright autumn foliage color in cold-winter climates, though many species perform well in a variety of conditions.
Their care needs include regular raking of fallen catkinlike flowers in spring and leaves in autumn. Birds find their seed attractive during winter.
Small birches make good container trees suited to use on balconies, decks, and patios. Keep birches grown in planters or large containers evenly moist, fertilize them regularly to replace leached nutrients, and protect their roots from sun exposure.