Plant types and subtypes: Trees & Shrubs, Trees, Deciduous
Light Requirements: sun
Water Use: low, medium
Soil Moisture: dry, moist, wet
Soil Description: rich, average, poor, loam, clay, sand
Height: 35'-50'
Bloom Time: April, May
Bloom Color: green, brown
Leaf Color: green
Hardiness Zone: 3, 4, 5, 6
Additional Tags: attracts birds, attracts butterflies, colonizing, drought tolerant, fall interest, naturalizing, ornamental foliage, pond margin plant, stream margin plant

Pricing & Availability
Sorry, this item is out of stock
Subscribe to be notified when this species become avaliable, and stay up to date with newly added species and special offers.
Description
Betula populifolia
Also known as:gray birch
,Description
Betula populifoliais a moderate sized deciduous tree that is typically under 50' tall at maturity. It is often multi-trunked, with a nicely-rounded open crown. While in its pole stage, the bark is white, similar to, but less papery than that of the river birch. At maturity the bark becomes dark gray, with occasional white blotches. The the leaves are triangular and serrated, becoming brilliantly yellow in fall.
Cultivation
Gray birch is a pioneer species, naturally adapted to disturbed areas and poor soil in full sun. It is does best in rich, moist, well-drained soil, but is also well suited to poor soil, excessively-drained and poorly-drained soil. Areas with standing water, regular or seasonal inundation should be avoided. It is very easy to grow and under ideal circumstance, its growth rate can reach 5' per year. Blooms in April. Zones 3-6
Propagation
Propagate from freshly collected seeds without pretreatment. saplings are rapid growing and easy to transplant.
Additional Notes
The wood of gray birch is extremely flexible. The top of trees can be bend down to the ground under heavy snow without snapping.
Native Range & Classification
Recorded County Distribution: USDA data
Native Range:
CT, DE, IL, IN, MA, MD, ME, MI, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, VA, VT, WV
USDA Endangered Status:
- Endangered: IL
- Extirpated: IA
Classification
Kingdom | Plantae | Plants | |
Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants | |
Superdivision | Spermatophyta | Seed plants | |
Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants | |
Class | Magnoliopsida | Dicotyledons | |
Subclass | Hamamelididae | ||
Order | Fagales | ||
Family | Betulaceae | Birch family | |
Genus | Betula | birch | |
Species | Betula populifolia | gray birch |