A moderate to fast-growing birch that prefers moist garden soil and some protection. You must be prepared to water because it does not tolerate drought. This birch is the most shade-tolerant of its family, needing only a few hours of sunlight. Yellow Birch has a silvery bronze bark that peels into small strips. Fall color is yellow. This species shows some resistance to bronze birch borer.

When young, it is the ugly duckling of trees, but it turns into a beautiful swan as it matures.  It has bipinnate leaves, similar to a locust and it produces 3-6 inch seed pods that stay on all winter, providing great winter interest.  The leaves, as well as the seeds are poisonous.  As the trees are dioecious you will need male and female trees to produce fruit. The scaly ridged bark and irregular coarse branching habit create a dramatic effect on the winter landscape.  Best grown in moist, organically rich, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerates poorer soils and drought. Avoid heavy clays. Also adapts well to urban conditions. Suckers to form colonies in the wild. The tree is late to leaf out and one of the first to drop leaves in the fall.  Fall color is yellow.

One of our largest native shade trees that is fast growing (3-4 feet per year). Easily grown in medium to wet, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerates light shade. The most striking feature of this tree is its camouflage bark that readily exfoliates. Its round seed balls persist into winter and the individual seeds are eaten by birds in the spring. Host for the tiger swallowtail butterfly. Deer resistant.