Best River Birch Variety

12 years ago

I wonder if anyone here has an opinion about the best River Birch variety for Florida--specifically the panhandle. I have a small grove of wild types I planted for quick shade after Hurrican Ivan. They did a terrific job, shooting up from two feet in one-and-a-half-gallon pots to 20-some feet in their first two years in the ground, and I love them to death. But they haven't retained their nice, shaggy, papery bark into adulthood, like the Heritage River Birches I remember from that grove in National Arboretum not far from the stand of Dawn Redwoods.

I have room for one more clump of River Birch, and I'm willing to go for it. I would like one that keeps its peeling bark and lower branches better. I will be planted away from the other River Birches, so it doesn't have to look just like the others. Of the named varieties, the most readily available around here is Dura-Heat. I have no idea how these mature--whether they retain a nice, shaggy, papery bark, and whether they keep their lower branches well. I've seen some older River Birches nearby that have retained their shaggy bark well, but I don't know what variety they are.

Anyone have an informed opinion? Thanks.

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Comments (6)

rstanny
Original Author
12 years ago
Rather than "I will be planted..." I should have said "It will be planted away from the other River Birches...". Presumably I will be planted somewhere else entirely.
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amberroses
12 years ago
I have an unknown variety I got from Lowes 3 years ago and a new seedling of Heritage. Both of these trees I got on sale for $10 each. The new Heritage is struggling in this dry heat, but it's holding on. I expect it will do fine if it makes it through the next few weeks. These are my favorite trees in the yard. They remind me of northern trees. I own the only ones I've seen in my county. People should plant more of them.
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I would get a nice clumpform paper birch. They are always more impressive as a clumpform and less apt to blow down in high wind. There are purple leaved varieties now as well, like Articfrost. These purple-leafed varieties are stunning when larger. The leaf color is similiar to a Crimson King maple but on a birch tree. Never plant a Norway maple. They are the most invasive plant of all hardwoods and they will dominate your lanscape after 10 years or so. Most nurseries will not sell them now because of this. The Amur maples are a smaller maple with an orange color in the Fall. Make sure not to buy the dwarf varieties as they stay rather small.I have two full size Amur maples and they are very hardy, and not too large. The true red or sugar maples are great trees and you could tap the sugar maple to make syrup after it is large enough. Most red and sugar maples are indeed, red in the fall but conditions and individual specimens can be lighter or darker. Oaks are very slow growing and not as red as some of the maples. Remember, clump-forms on the birches and they will offer you more shade and tree strength. A mixture of Serviceberries, Red or Sugar Maples, and birches will be impressive. If you plant in the early spring, keep an eye on The Weather Channel during the first season to watch for drought in the area.
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Swamp white oak is quite fast growing, and will take wet feet too. I put one in a very difficult spot that had cattails(!) but I added soil and raised a long wide bed that is doing wonderfully well. "Just say NO" to willows. I like Bobs idea of Sugar Maple. One of the finest trees. I also planted a deciduous evergreen (tamarack) that is native to wetlands, joepye shrub and elderberry also like damp soil. So too, will serviceberry florish in shade and moist soil. Silver maples are total trash trees. Dont even think of planting one. I have a Autuum purple Ash on my lot line bed and worry that it will succumb to the dreaded borer too. So far, so good. River birches are fine. I have two. Also have two old fashioned white birch, which I love. And one paperbark maple, which is beautiful in all seasons. There are so many beautiful choices out there. Dont settle for cheap and fast. And go for the best.
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User
12 years ago
epp's nursery, plant city, fl.....ours are good looking..nice bark......and very healthy..........:) not sure of the variety they sell....or what we have. happy here:)
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kenptn
12 years ago
I can't tell you how Duraheat (what a lousy name) compares with Heritage in FL, but I can comment on them in TN. I have a planting of 7, 3 Heritage and 4 Duraheat. They are about 6-8 years from liners. Both have white bark, the D. more white and less flakey than the H. The foliage on D is slightly smaller, darker green and more glossy than H. H is somewhat taller than D. D is more dense and twiggier than H, and I think more formal in appearance. Fall color is not a strong suit with river birch, but D has a little more than H, and I believe holds its foliage better in dry times. During the Easter freeze of '07, the temps dropped to the mid teens and both were in almost full leaf, D lost about 25 percent of its wood, in fact one tree was killed almost to the ground. It has since regrown, it looks like a slingshot. H lost no wood. If late FREEZES are common where you are, that may be something to consider. As far as how D will look when mature, I don't know. I would guess it will hold its white bark better than H. I believe along with its heat tolerance it was touted as having bark similar to paper birch.
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rstanny
Original Author
12 years ago
Thank you all for your responses. I take it Duraheat is lighter in color and less shaggy than than Heritage. Heritage may be more cold tolerant and less drought tolerant. Would anyone concur, disagree, or add to these generalizations?

Maybe I should just buy both. Can't imagine having too many river birches. They were good enough to be the favorite of old man Callaway, of Callaway Gardens.
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gatormomx2
12 years ago
This link might be helpful.
Fast growing trees like the Birch have short lives.
Birch are good hurricane trees and will do well in Northern Florida.
Go for both varieties!

Here is a link that might be useful: Birch comparison
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Best River Birch Variety

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rstanny
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Best River Birch Variety

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