European White Birch

Betula pendula

Betulaceae (Birch Family)

éê fall color

é Mature tree without foliage

éê Young tree in summer

éê leaves

éê white bark

é 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