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Native Plant Society of Texas

River Birch

Betula nigra

Other common name(s):

Red Birch, Black Birch, Water Birch

Family:

Betulaceae (Alder Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

This map uses data from the US EPA. EPA  servers have been offline frequently so maps may not display. We are working on a solution.

Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Flatwoods, Floodplains and Low Terraces3, Pleistocene Fluvial Terraces, Red River Bottomlands, Southern Tertiary Uplands, Tertiary Uplands

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Tree

Height

30
to
50
ft.

Spread

20
to
30
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Loam, Clay, Poor Drainage, Moist

Light Requirement

Sun, Part Shade

Water Requirement

Medium

Native Habitat

Wetland or Riparian

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Green, Brown

Bloom Season

Spring

Seasonal Interest

Fall Color, Seeds, Forage

Wildlife Benefit

Browsers, Birds, Small Mammals

Maintenance

River birch has a fast growth rate and is long-lived. One of the most trouble free of the birches. Prune only in the summer when the sap has stopped flowing. Requires moisture at all times or it will die in dry areas. Likes Houston’s clay soil. Provides yellow color in the fall. Propagation: seed, softwood cutting.

Comments

Blooms Apri-June. A spreading crown of several large limbs with drooping branches. Usually multi-trunked. Silvery to peach colored bark flakes in sheets, to deeper orange. Leave are thick texture, bright green with whitish underside, toothed edges and turn yellow in fall. Male and female catkins are on the same tree. The fruit resembles little cones.

References

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Seed No Treatment Sown in spring. Collect seeds as soon as the cones are full grown and beginning to turn brown but before they dry completely and open to disperse seeds. Spread to air dry until strobiles have opened. https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=BENI
Seed Stratification Stratify 30-60 days at 41 degrees Collect seeds as soon as the cones are full grown and beginning to turn brown but before they dry completely and open to disperse seeds. Spread to air dry until strobiles have opened. https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=BENI

About the Region

Fall Symposium 2025 Logo - Teach for the Future

Salado, the location of our Fall 2025 Symposium, lies at the intersection of two ecoregions: the Edwards Plateau (Limestone Cut Plain) and Blackland Prairie (Northern Blackland Prairie).

The Edwards Plateau area is also called the Hill Country; however, this general term covers a much larger area extending farther north. Spring-fed creeks are found throughout the region; deep limestone canyons, rivers, and lakes (reservoirs) are common. Ashe juniper is perhaps the most common woody species found throughout the region. Additional woody species include various species of oak, with live oak (Quercus fusiformis) being the most common. Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) border waterways. This area is well known for its spring wildflower displays, though they may be viewed in spring, late summer, and fall, as well. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, average annual rainfall in the Edwards Plateau ranges from 15 to 34 inches.

The Blackland Prairie extends from the Red River south to San Antonio, bordered on the west by the Edwards Plateau and the Cross Timbers, and on the east by the Post Oak Savannah. Annual rainfall averages 30 to 40 inches, with higher averages to the east. This region is dominated by prairie species. The most common grass species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) in the uplands and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the riparian areas and drainages. Common herbaceous flowering plants include salvias, penstemons, and silphiums. This area has suffered greatly from overgrazing and agricultural use. Few intact areas remain, though many of the plants can be found along county roadsides throughout the region.

Our fall Symposium host chapter, the Tonkawa Chapter, includes both of these ecoregions.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason