My Deer Garden

Plant record · Tree

Is River Birch deer resistant?

Betula nigra

Peeling cinnamon bark of river birch
Photo by Greg Hume, CC BY-SA 4.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Damage step 1 of 4 · Rarely Damaged

Yes. Deer almost always leave this alone.

Type
Tree
Hardiness
Zones 4–9
Light
Full sun
Height
360–840 in
Bloom
Spring
Maintenance
Low
Native range
33 US states

Damage steps follow a published university field scale. How plants are rated.

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.

Where River Birch grows

Hardy across every state on zone range alone, and native to 33 of them. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering. Select any state, including one it will not grow in, for what is resistant there.

Alabama — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 9.Alaska — hardy here. Zones 1 to 8.Arizona — hardy here. Zones 5 to 10.Arkansas — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.California — hardy here. Zones 7 to 10.Colorado — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Connecticut — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Delaware — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 7.District of Columbia — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 8.Florida — native, and hardy. Zones 8 to 11.Georgia — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 9.Hawaii — hardy here. Zones 9 to 12.Idaho — hardy here. Zones 3 to 7.Illinois — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Indiana — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 6.Iowa — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 6.Kansas — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Kentucky — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 7.Louisiana — native, and hardy. Zones 8 to 10.Maine — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Maryland — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.Massachusetts — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Michigan — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 6.Minnesota — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 5.Mississippi — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 9.Missouri — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Montana — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Nebraska — hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Nevada — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.New Hampshire — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 6.New Jersey — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 7.New Mexico — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.New York — native, and hardy. Zones 4 to 7.North Carolina — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.North Dakota — hardy here. Zones 3 to 4.Ohio — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 6.Oklahoma — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.Oregon — hardy here. Zones 6 to 9.Pennsylvania — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Rhode Island — hardy here. Zones 6 to 7.South Carolina — native, and hardy. Zones 7 to 9.South Dakota — hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Tennessee — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.Texas — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 9.Utah — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.Vermont — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 5.Virginia — native, and hardy. Zones 6 to 8.Washington — hardy here. Zones 5 to 8.West Virginia — native, and hardy. Zones 5 to 7.Wisconsin — native, and hardy. Zones 3 to 5.Wyoming — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.
Native and hardyHardy on zone rangeNot hardy — still linked
Choose a state from the listeasier on a phone

Common questions about River Birch

Is River Birch deer resistant?
River Birch (Betula nigra) is rated Rarely Damaged, step 1 of 4 on the damage scale this site uses. 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.

Browse from here

Every list River Birch belongs to.

All trees·Rarely damaged·Full sun plants·Mast and fruit trees

Hardy in these zones

Zone 4·Zone 5·Zone 6·Zone 7·Zone 8·Zone 9

Damage ratings follow the four-step field scale published by Rutgers University. Growing data is compiled from state extension sources and still being verified record by record. Last reviewed .