Hanging Birch Tree Varieties
- Birch trees come in many varieties. Popular with many gardeners, they tend to grow about 40 to 50 feet high, and their leaves turn yellow in the fall. The type of bark they possess, along with their growing conditions, vary with each variety.
- Young's weeping birch has branches that hang down and touch the ground. Because of its weeping design, this birch variety has no central leader branch. Young's weeping birch boasts white bark that peels and is susceptible to the birch leafminer and bronze birch borer pests. This type of birch is a variety of the European white birch.
- The Heritage river birch typically does well in both dry and wet soil; however, it is sensitive to alkaline soils with a pH that is higher than 6.5. The Heritage river birch has distinct salmon-colored bark that peels and attracts the birch leafminer pest. Fortunately, this birch is resistant to the bronze birch borer. The Heritage river birch is a good choice for those who live in Southern climates, but it can also survive in cooler climates. The recommended hardiness zones for this birch are 4, 5 and 6.
- The Yellow birch variety earns its moniker from its yellow-orange bark that peels and turns reddish-brown as it ages. Yellow birch is different from other birches, as it can be grown more in the shade, states the Birch Tree website. Requiring a cool planting site, Yellow birch is native to the Northeastern area of the United States, as well as the Great Lakes region. Unfortunately, this type of birch is not often found in nurseries and, therefore, isn't widely used as an ornamental tree.
