Slide 1 BETULACEAEBirch Family Family Characteristics Leaves - simple serrate alternate arrangement Flowers - imperfect, monoecious male catkins pendulous, longer females - shorter erect Fruit - nut or samara The Birch Story Slide 2 BETULACEAE Betula papyrifera Slide 3 Betula papyrifera Paper Birch Native to Alberta , Boreal Forests across Canada and Northern USA Hardiness Zone: 2 Exposure: full sun, part shade Soil: NEEDS moisture, prefers well drained moisture holding loams or sandy loams, slightly acidic. Form: single or multi stemmed medium to large size tree. Up to 20m high and 12 m spread. Slide 4 Betula papyrifera Form: single or multi stemmed medium to large size tree. Up to 20m high and 12 m spread.medium texture Cultivars: (FYI) ‘Chickadee’ - narrow columnar maturing to densely pyramidal (15m x 8 m)slow growingOriginal selection from Beaverlodge ‘Varen’ Prairie Dream Paper Birch - 12m x 8m Resistant to Bronze Birch Borer, Cold hardy, upright oval form Significant Features ……. http://search.shelmerdine.com plants.gertens.com/ Slide 5 Betula papyrifera Paper Birch Slide 6 Betula papyrifera Foliage : simple, ovate to rhomboidal, double serrate margins, acuminate tip, truncate to acute base, alternate on stem. Slide 7 Betula papyrifera Bark : side buds sessile, no terminal bud, young twigs reddish brown, resinous, Prominent lenticels, older bark white, exfoliating. Slide 8 Betula papyrifera Flowers: monoecious catkins (aments)yellowish green to brown as mature Season of Bloom: early spring before the leaves https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/tree/paper-birch Fruit: winged nutlet, light brown, August, will persist into winter Spread by wind. Slide 9 Betula papyrifera Landscape Uses Fall colour, winter architecture and white bark Reclamation, native plantings Specimen, small group Maintenance: water during dry spells mulch to keep moisture in the soil prune after full leaf or not at all https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/plantsciences/research/introductions/prairie-dream Slide 10 forestpests.org Betula papyrifera Problems: Bronze birch borer Birch leaf miner https://www.thetreegeek.com/news/featured/borers/ http://www.firstchoicetreecare.com/page/eab https://www.forestryimages.org/browse/detail.cfm?imgnum=5302066 http://www.firstchoicetreecare.com/page/eab http://entomology.osu.edu/PEST/public_html/Pest2007/pest0507.htm http://hyg.ipm.illinois.edu/pastpest/200703e.html Slide 11 drought Slide 12 BETULACEAE Betula pendula Slide 13 Betula pendula European Weeping Birch Native to Europe and parts of Asia Hardiness Zone: 2 Exposure: full sun Soil conditions: prefer moist well drained loam to sandy loams. Are NOT drought tolerant Slide 14 Betula pendula Form: upright rounded with smaller branches ascending. low headed Medium tree about 10-15m high x 5 -7 m wide fine textured Slide 15 Betula pendula Cultivars: (FYI) Youngii’ ‘Gracilis’ – smaller, no main trunk, smaller branches hanging together in bundles, leaves deeply lobed. ‘Lanciniata’ - Cutleaf weeping Birch(‘Crispa’ ‘Dalecarlica’) – open habit, bark becoming black at base, leaves narrow, deeply lobed. Loses leaves before species. ‘Purple Rain’ - purple leaves Significant Features …… http://www.hort.uconn.edu/plants/detail.php?pid=67 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuiUg4vw1K8 Slide 16 Betula pendula European Weeping Birch Slide 17 Betula pendula Leaves : simple, double serrate margins, acuminate tip, truncate to acute base alternate on stem yellow fall colour Stems: similar to Paper BirchFlowers: similar to Paper Birch Slide 18 Betula pendula Landscape Use specimen for residential yardsmunicipal areas parks cemeteries Problems Similar to Paper Birch drought bronze birch borer birch leaf miner Slide 19 BETULACEAE Betula occidentalis Slide 20 Betula occidentalis - River Birch Origin: Alberta Native, throughout western North America, from Yukon and Alaska, south to Colorado and from interior of BC to eastern Manitoba River Birch in Alberta Hardiness Zone: 2 Exposure: Full sun to part shade Soil Conditions: Moisture holding loam/ Sandy loam moist areas near running water, rivers, streambanks and creeks Significant Features... Slide 21 Slide 22 Betula occidentalis - River Birch FORM: Height and Spread - 6m x 4m Shape - Large shrub, Mid Size Multi-stem Tree (low headed Oval). Bark: Colour: Young twigs warty, gives rise to smooth reddish/brown bark with prominent, cherry-like lenticels. Good winter interest. Slide 23 Betula occidentalis - River Birch FOLIAGE: Texture - fine, small leaves rounded, acute tip, serrate margins Colour - Bright green in summer, yellow autumn colour. Slide 24 Betula occidentalis Flower & Fruit: Type - monoecious catkins, then winged nutlets Colour - yellow/green, fruit brown. Season of Bloom - flowers before & with leaves. Fruit dispersed in Fall and early winter. Slide 25 Slide 26 Betula occidentalis - River Birch Landscape Use: Prefers Moisture Strong vertical accent/screen Native sites Water features, ponds, swales, rain-gardens Maintenance Does not do well in dry weather More resistant to birch leaf miner & bronze birch borer. Does not like to be alone! Is a nitrogen fixer and pairs well. Slide 27