A highly popular North American native, Betula 'Heritage' is a deciduous tree with year-round interest. This ornamental tree has a very showy trunk of mottled and shaggy, salmon-pink to reddish brown outer bark that reveals glimpses of the underlying creamy white inner bark, adding great winter interest. Leathery, serrated, diamond-shaped, green leaves turn yellow in fall.
A Betula nigra, commonly called river birch, Betula 'Heritage' has a narrow, upright, pyramidal to oval habit with many fine branches; a dense, symmetrical canopy; and a fast growth rate. The tree naturally grows with several trunks; however, one of the trunks usually becomes dominant, and it can be trained to grow with one central leader. It branches low on the trunk, which makes it a lovely specimen tree. But it is well-suited to mixed beds and borders as well as in rain gardens and wet areas along streams and around ponds. When planted in mass, the trees can purify the water table.
Easy to grow and low maintenance, Betula 'Heritage' prefers full sun to part shade and fertile, acidic, moist to wet, well-drained soil. It adapts to heavy soils and poor drainage. Although it can tolerate drier soils, adequate water is important to keep leaves from scorching, especially in the heat of the Deep South. Using the Greenwell™ Water Saver or the TreeDiaper® Hydration System will keep roots moist. The plant is deer, black walnut, and air pollution tolerant. It is one of the most disease resistant of the birches, with extreme resistance to bronze birch borer and leaf spot diseases.
A native plant, Betula 'Heritage' is indigenous to North America. Native plants are not only beautiful but also environmentally friendly. Naturally adapted to the climate and soil conditions of the region, they thrive without fertilizers or extra watering, once established. They also act as natural pest controls, reducing the need for pesticides in the garden. Landscaping with native plants promotes biodiversity and provides shelter and quality food for wildlife and pollinators, bringing gardens to life.
