Whitespire Birch is extremely versatile and can be used nearly anywhere in the landscape. About Whitespire Birch Clump. Use of this tree is limited by its susceptibility to bronze birch borer. Young trees have a reddish-brown color, older trees develop a chalky white bark that does not peel.Black triangular patches form on bark, under branches. Guarantee: Earl May Nursery Stock Guarantee `Whitespire' Japanese birch ( Betula platyphylla var. Whitespire Birch is very adaptable preferring moist, well drained, slightly acidic soils. Our trees. It is a deciduous tree with a strong central leader and has a distinctive and refined pyramidal form. japonica Hara.) In the St. Louis area, it is best sited in a northern or eastern exposure that receives some afternoon shade. Where to put it: Whitespire Birch is extremely versatile … Black triangular patches form on bark, under branches. Growth Rate: Moderate: Shape: Upright, Pyramidal : Whitespire Japanese Birch likes full sun and is adapted to a wide range of soils. Stop by, email, or call. Cut a 6- to 8-inch-long green branch tip, making the cut just below a leaf node. 'Whitespire' is fairly tolerant of drought and poor soils as well. Cultivars are plants produced in cultivation by selective breeding or via vegetative propagation from wild plants identified to have desirable traits. This tree grows at a medium to fast rate, with height increases of anywhere from 13" to more than 24" per year. Use enter to activate. It needs little pruning, but if necessary, prune during the dormant season. My problem is one of the trees I believe went into early Hibernation, it lost all of its leaves, 3 to 4 weeks before the other two trees last fall. Soil/Climate: Gray birch is native to eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. The chalky white bark, fluttery leaves and crisp, clean form are hard to miss. The Morton Arboretum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that relies on the generosity of members and donors. Cylindrical clusters of winged nutlets, borne at end of branches, 2 to 3 inches long. A medium sized tree tolerant of hot, dry summers and poor soils. It also tolerates poor soils. This is a cultivar of a tree native to the northeastern United States. It is now assigned to Betula populifolia and the plants are often sold under the name 'Whitespire Senior' to avoid confusion. Disease, pests, and problems. The species, Betula populifolia, or gray birch, is a short-lived, narrow-columnar, suckering, deciduous tree that typically grows to 20-40’ tall. Growth Rate: Moderate. The name 'Whitespire' was incorrectly assigned to Betula platyphylla. Have tree and plant questions? The objectives of this study were to evaluate survival, growth, rootstock suckering, and short-term graft compatibility of ‘Whitespire’ Japanese birch … Birches do not transplant easily. It seems to tolerate drier soils in its native range. Budded and tissue culture. Consider using soaker hoses and bark mulches to keep the root zones cool and moist. Reply Trish B June 22, 2019 at 10:41 pm. Monrovia's Purple Rain® European White Birch details and information. Deciduous. Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menus and submenus. The most narrow growing of all birches. Maybe you've admired the pretty deciduous tree 3 blocks over. use escape to move to top level menu parent. At a minimum, wear a visor to prevent wood chips damaging the eyes, chain saw trousers and boots to protect your legs from accidental contact with the chain, and strong gloves to protect your hands from scrapes against the tree. This Birch has dark green foliage throughout the season. Our communities. Browse the curated collection and add your voice! Natural Areas Conservation Training Program, Black walnut toxicity (plants tolerant of), Preventing construction damage to trees and shrubs, Trees and shrubs for the four seasons landscape, Sudden Oak Death, Ramorum Blight and Phytophthora ramorum, Eastern United States Wetlands Collection. Inconspicuous;  male flowers in cylindrical catkins; females also in a cylindrical structure, but much smaller. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. Explore. Gray Birch is more resistant to borers than other white birches, but tends to be short-lived for a tree of about 30 to 50 years. Mature Height: commonly 20-30′ tall with fast growth rate. If you are a gardener who loves to prune, don't select a white birch tree for your backyard. One big strong guy can carry this potted tree but better if two people work together! I have 3 Whitespire Birch clumps (Betula Platyhylla) that I planted about 8 years ago. In St. Louis, gray birch is best grown in medium to wet, well-drained, sandy or rocky loams in full sun to part shade. A Whitespire birch "standard" is where there is only one trunk on the tree… It shoots up to its mature height of 50 to 90 feet with an annual growth rate averaging 36 inches per growing season. Bloom Time: Mar-Apr. For example, while river birch (Betula nigra) grows throughout U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 9 and can grow over … River Birch. Cultivar 'Whitespire' more desirable than the species. It's easy to understand why the Heritage® River Birch is such a popular tree. Our Whitespire Birch grown in clump form (three stems) averages 8 to 10' tall with good stem caliper. It has fine textured twigs and foliage and beautiful chalk white bark. Keeping a Fantastic Birch Bark A great tree to give a natural look to the landscape. Birch, Whitespire The Whitespire Birch, Betula populifolia ‘Whitespire’, is an Ed Hasselkus from the University of Wisconsin-Madison introduction with chalk-white bark that does not exfoliate. The species is noted for its non-peeling chalky white bark and its long-pointed triangular green leaves. The Whitespire Birch is a great hybrid birch tree with snowy white bark and good fall color. A 3-year study was conducted to evaluate growth and survival of trees grafted onto five species of birch rootstocks. Explore this online platform for Chicago-area residents to share their favorite stories about trees. Due to susceptibility to bronze birch borer (BBB), European white birch is not recommended for planting anywhere in this region and usually require removal and/or replacement. Whitespire birch trees (Betula platyphylla japonica 'Whitespire') are deciduous trees with an annual growth rate of 12 to 18 inches. Originally This tree also features interesting catkins which grace the tree in the summer. Simple, alternate leaves; 2 to 3 inches long.Dark green, triangular-shaped, shiny, pendulous  leaves.Margins are double serrated, leaf tip is long and pointed.Yellow fall color. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more. river birch and, to a lesser extent, on European birch rootstocks can enhance flood tolerance over trees on ‘Whitespire’ rootstocks (Ranney and Bir, 1994). It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 4 feet from the ground, and should not be planted underneath power lines. This birch tree is tolerant of most soil conditions and considered to be resistant to bronze birch borer. Full sun. Fast grower to 35 to 40 feet tall, 18 to 20 feet wide; larger with age. Our future. It has a wonderful yellow fall color. Dark green, triangular-shaped, shiny, pendulous  leaves. Other common names:Gray Birch. Apr 24, 2014 - Why it rocks: Whitespire Birch has a nice narrow, pyramidal size and a chalky white bark that looks great all season long. The following menu has 3 levels. Graceful, open-branched pyramidal form. Get the latest updates on new products and upcoming sales. Simple, alternate leaves; 2 to 3 inches long. Exposure: Full sun to part shade. Use up and down arrow keys to explore within a submenu. These trees have their own charms, however. Dazzling white bark from ground level which is maintained into old age. Shows some resistance to the bronze birch borer. The pointy leaves turn an outstanding yellow in the fall. When To Prune Birch Trees. It takes 150 years to grow four inches. Classic, Fast-Growing Ornamental Tree Why Heritage® River Birch Trees? Fast growing trees give homeowners the opportunity to realize the benefits of a mature tree sooner. Cold Hardiness-20 to -30° F. Sun Exposure: Full sun. Get expert help from The Morton Arboretum Plant Clinic. A medium sized tree tolerant of hot, dry summers and poor soils.Considered to have a short life span. Brown or green catkins can be present throughout the growing season and are quite ornamental. Betula populifolia 'Whitespire'. A wonderful large yard tree with terrific yellow fall coloring. This cultivar demonstrates good resistance to bronze birch borer (BBB). Yellow autumn leaves. This plant is a cultivar of a species that is native to the Chicago region according to Swink and Wilhelm's Plants of the Chicago Region, with updates made according to current research. Will tolerate temperatures of -30 to 120 deg. Leaves are glossy, dark green turning yellowish-green in fall. Good white bark with dark green leaves turning yellow in the fall. Exhibits the brightest white bark of any tree for a truly distinctive and exciting show! Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menus and submenus. The bright green leaves rustle i Description. Perform… Add to Cart Wishlist . Native to China. Jun 27, 2016 - This is a grafted birch, so all trees grow uniform and identical. Whitespire has a beautiful spire-like upright form, white non-exfoliating bark and excellent bronze birch borer resistance. It thrives under a wide range of soil conditions. Water Needs: Medium to high. Avoid pruning birches in spring as they are 'bleeders' and will lose a great deal of sap. And others grow as classic single-trunk trees. Whitespire Birch is our only recommended white-barked birch because of its resistance to bronze birch borer and Japanese beetle. Japanese beetle is also a serious problem on this tree. Growth Rate: Medium fast. It is not tolerant of flooding of any long duration. You can search, browse, and learn more about the plants in our living collections by visiting our BRAHMS website. They are characterized by their non-peeling white bark with black patches and pointed, triangular-shaped glossy green leaves that turn golden yellow in fall. 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