Is River Birch deer resistant?
Betula nigra
Plant typeTreeHardinessZones 4–9LightFull sun
Mature height360–840 in
BloomSpringMaintenanceLow, mostly leave it alone
Native range33 US states
About River Birch
Peeling cinnamon bark and the only birch with real resistance to bronze birch borer, which makes it the sensible birch for warm regions. Happy in ground too wet for most trees.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 5 to 6.5
- Drainage
- Tolerates wet feet
- Water
- High
- Spacing
- 177 to 236 in apart
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Maintenance
- Low
Similar to River Birch
Other trees with the same deer rating.
- American HollyIlex opacaZones 5–9Rarely damaged
- Bottlebrush BuckeyeAesculus parvifloraZones 5–9Rarely damaged
- Dwarf Alberta SprucePicea glauca 'Conica'Zones 2–6Rarely damaged
- Japanese Black PinePinus thunbergianaZones 5–8Rarely damaged
- Katsura TreeCercidiphyllum japonicumZones 4–8Rarely damaged
- MimosaAlbizia julibrissinZones 6–9Rarely damaged
Where River Birch grows
Hardy across most of these 51 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering.
- Pennsylvanianative
- New Jerseynative
- New Yorknative
- Connecticutnative
- Massachusettsnative
- Virginianative
- Marylandnative
- Michigannative
- Wisconsinnative
- Ohionative
- Indiananative
- Illinoisnative
- Minnesotanative
- Missourinative
- North Carolinanative
- Tennesseenative
- Georgianative
- Texasnative
- Colorado
- California
- Oregon
- Washington
- New Hampshirenative
- Vermontnative
- Maine
- Rhode Island
- Delawarenative
- West Virginianative
- Kentuckynative
- South Carolinanative
- Floridanative
- Alabamanative
- Mississippinative
- Louisiananative
- Arkansasnative
- Oklahomanative
- Kansasnative
- Nebraska
- Iowanative
- North Dakota
- South Dakota
- Montana
- Wyoming
- Idaho
- Utah
- Nevada
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Alaska
- District of Columbianative
- Hawaii
Highlighted states are within its native range according to the USDA PLANTS database, where it is native to 33 US states in total.
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Every list River Birch belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about River Birch
- Is River Birch deer resistant?
- River Birch (Betula nigra) is rated Rarely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Deer almost always leave this alone.
- What hardiness zones does River Birch grow in?
- River Birch is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does River Birch grow in shade?
- No. River Birch wants full sun and will grow thin and flop in shade.
- How big does River Birch get?
- Mature height is roughly 360–840 in. Growth rate is fast.