Paper birch (Betula papyrifera)

Hardiness: Zone 2, more cold than heat tolerant, but adapted to most areas of the state if watered during the summer.

Soils: Moist well-drained soils are best but can tolerate gravelly soils. It is adapted to neutral soils with a soil pH less than 7.4.

Height: 40 feet at maturity, oval form, spread slightly less than the height.

Growth rate: Moderate to fast, 1 to 2 feet per year.

Paper birch is one of our most attractive birches. The bark breaks in papery sheets of creamy white and maintains this color and texture far longer than other birches. The autumn color is a dependable yellow and one of the best autumn colors for birches. Generally available as a multiple-stem tree, but single stems can also be obtained from nurseries and garden centers. Paper birch has only one serious pest, the bronze birch borer. While the paper birch may be attacked by this borer, it is less susceptible than many of the other birch species planted in our state and is probably the best one to plant.

Cultivars:

Prairie DreamR paper birch (Betula papyrifera ‘Varen’). The bark is almost a pure white, becoming even whiter in the winter. Good yellow autumn color. This cultivar has shown low susceptibility to attack by the bronze birch borer and superior tolerance to stress.

Renaissance ReflectionR paper birch (Betula papyrifera ‘Renci’). This tree has excellent yellow autumn color and a more pyramidal form than most paper birch. It is also reported to be more heat tolerant and less susceptible to the borer than the species.