Birch
River Birch
Betula nigra
$3.00per seedling
Low stock — order soon
Bulk pricing
Price per seedling based on total seedlings in your cart, across all species.
- 10–249 seedlings$3.00 / seedling
- 250–499 seedlings$2.50 / seedling
- 500–999 seedlings$2.00 / seedling
- 1,000–2,499 seedlings$1.75 / seedling
- 2,500–4,999 seedlings$1.50 / seedling
- 5,000+ seedlings$1.25 / seedling
Sold in groups of 10 — online orders are limited to 1,000 seedlings total.
For orders over 1,000 seedlings, please view our Pricing page and contact the nursery.
Quick facts
- Mature size
- — 40–70 ft tall · 40–60 ft wide
- Growth speed
- — Fast — more than 2 ft of new growth a year
- Sunlight
- — Full sun (6+ hrs direct sun) · Part shade (4–6 hrs)
- Soil
- — Average / moist · Wet / occasionally flooded
- Good for
- — Wildlife food & habitat · Yard, shade & beauty · Streamside & wet areas
- Wildlife
- — River birch provides excellent wildlife benefits, offering seeds that are eaten by birds and small mammals, catkins that support early-season pollinators, and dense multi‑stemmed structure that provides reliable cover and nesting habitat along streambanks and wetland edges.
About this species
River birch is a hardy native tree known for its distinctive peeling bark, which reveals layers of cream, salmon, and reddish‑brown tones that add year-round visual interest. Its triangular, serrated leaves turn soft yellow in the fall, complementing its graceful, multi‑stemmed form. River birch thrives in moist, well-drained soils and is commonly found along streams, floodplains, and wetlands across Ohio, where its tolerance for periodic flooding makes it an important component of riparian ecosystems. Fast-growing and adaptable, it also performs well in urban settings, providing shade, erosion control, and ornamental appeal in parks, yards, and restoration projects.
Planting notes
Because river birch grows quickly and develops multiple stems, give it ample space and prune only to remove dead or crossing branches. Particularly well suited for areas with periodic flooding, such as streambanks, rain gardens, and low-lying sites.