Price range: $24.99 through $44.99
Keystone Species, Pollinator Plants
40-75
1 Gallon, 2 Gallon
April, May
Green, Red, Yellow
Medium
Moist to dry, well-drained.
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Full shade, Part shade
Keystone Value: The genus Betula (Birch) supports over 400 species of butterfly and moth caterpillars, providing food for a variety of birds and mammals.
Sweet Birch (Betula lenta) is a medium to large sized deciduous tree that grows naturally in woodlands, preferring north-facing slopes and moist soils. The flowers attract native pollinators, and the foliage turns a showy golden-yellow in the fall. Sweet Birch twigs have a strong sent of wintergreen when scratched. It was once harvested extensively to produce oil of wintergreen, and was borderline endangered until the 1950s-60s when synthetic oil of wintergreen was developed. Its sap can be used to make birch beer as well as a strong syrup that resembles molasses. Sweet Birch is a larval host plant for the Mourning Cloak Butterfly (shown above), among others.
Direct Native Plants ships from our nurseries in Middle River, Maryland, and Woodstock, Illinois. Orders are shipped via FedEx Ground from these locations and typically arrive at most destinations within two (2) business days from the day they ship.
To get your plants to you as quickly and efficiently as possible, we ship orders based on current inventory availability and your proximity to our nurseries. This helps ensure faster delivery and the best experience for your order. In some cases, items in the same order may ship from different locations.
