River birch ‘Heritage’

Betula nigra ‘Heritage’

Selected cultivar of North American river birch with strikingly creamy-pink peeling bark and excellent resistance to bronze birch borer — the most reliable birch for warm-climate gardens.

Hardiness ratings

River birch ‘Heritage’ hardiness across the four zone systems
SystemRatingTemperature rangeHow to read it
USDA hardiness zone Zone 4–9 −34.4 °C to −1.1 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone
RHS hardiness rating H6 −20 °C to −15 °C Plant needs at least this level of cold tolerance
Canadian plant hardiness zone Zone 4–8 −29 °C to −1 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone
Australian (ANBG) zone Zone 2–6 −10 °C to 15 °C Plant tolerates down to this zone

Growing notes

  • Creamy salmon-pink papery peeling bark — distinct from the white birch palette, particularly striking in winter low light
  • Most heat-tolerant birch in cultivation — succeeds across the warm and humid southeastern US where other birches fail
  • Strong resistance to bronze birch borer — the safest choice in birch-borer regions
  • Tolerates wet ground — natural to floodplain forests

Categories

Related plants

Cross-check River birch ‘Heritage’ against your zones

Reference

River birch ‘Heritage’ on Wikipedia