European White Birch

European White Birch

Betula pendula

Betulaceae (Birch Family)

▲ ▼ fall color

▲ Mature tree without foliage

▲ ▼ Young tree in summer

▲ ▼ leaves

▲ ▼ white bark

▲ white birch in ice storm of 2007 (Springfield, MO)

Location on campus: on north side of Kemper Hall

European White Birch (Betula pendula) and Asian White Birch (Betula platyphylla)

• are generally very susceptible to bronze birch borer, particularly in southern U.S. (including Missouri) and will be moderately to very short-lived
• They are grown for their attractive white bark, but only can do well in much cooler climates where the borer is not common and the trees are not heat stressed
• ‘Whitespire’ Japanese White Birch is somewhat borer resistant, but only trees propagated by cuttings, grafting or tissue culture from the original ‘Whitespire’ clone will retain this characteristic--seedlings of ‘Whitespire’ are usually borer-susceptible