Whitespire Birch

You've probably seen the stunning white logs with the beautiful deep gray chevrons, carefully stacked next to the stone fireplace at the ski chalet in Aspen. Or perhaps you've just caught a glimpse in decorators magazines.

Maybe you've admired the pretty deciduous tree 3 blocks over. The chalky-white bark, fluttering leaves and crisp, clean form are hard to miss.

However you first fell in love with Whitespire Birch (Betula populifolia 'Whitespire'), it makes a fabulous, fine-textured accent tree.

Tall and stately, Whitespire's showy bark does not exfoliate or peel. It will create a magnificent focal point in both daytime and at night.

Garden designers across the country love this improved selection of Gray Birch with its good pest resistance and enormously ornamental features. The pyramidal shape is instantly recognizable.

Use this as a wonderful, sophisticated choice for both front yard or backyard landscaping in colder zones. You simply can't go wrong with a Whitespire Birch.

There are several ways it's grown and sold. Choose from a multi-stemmed "clump" or a single trunk. Either choice is absolutely gorgeous.

The Whitespire Birch gives you several standout seasons during the year. Bright green leaves and cute, dangling catkins provide summer interest and refreshing, dappled shade. You can easily grow smaller plants in this shade.

You'll love the way the dark green leaves turn a rich, bright yellow in autumn. Next comes winter, when that showy bark adds tremendous visual interest and captures your attention. The bark turns white when the trunks get to be about two or three inches in diameter.

For a gorgeous, easy-care tree that really delivers on style, order Whitespire Birch today!

How to Use Whitespire Birch in the Landscape

In a front yard, this makes a perfect decorative accent in front of a picture window. Use one to anchor a walkway or garden bed. It is sure to draw the eye year-round.

In the backyard, use several trees to create a wonderful view from your deck or patio. Plant several in a loose grouping and create a mulched planting bed for them to grow in. Add evergreen shrubs for year-round structure, then spice up the design with flowering plants. You'll love the look, and the polite, airy privacy these pretty trees will give you.

You might choose to leave space to run a wood mulch path between a few of the trees. Create a high-end destination spot under their branches.

They'll look incredible planted in front of a row of taller evergreen trees. Soften the look of windbreaks, and existing "fortress style" privacy plantings. They seem to catch the slightest breeze and the gentle sound of the wind fluttering through the leaves adds to your enjoyment.

While away a lazy afternoon on a hammock and a good book. Life is short, enjoy your yard to the fullest!

No matter how you use this wonderful tree, be sure to include exterior lighting in your landscape design. Point the lights upwards into the tree's canopy for an inspired nighttime setting.

Use a single stem plant as a formal specimen plant. These make excellent plants for framing larger buildings.

For a really interesting look in a natural grouping, try using both a multi-stemmed clump and single stems together. Clumps are grown with 3 or 4 stems, and still achieve an overall upright habit.

Mixing the two forms together is the best way to replicate a natural stand and create a small Birch forest. Draw your plan on paper first, then play around with the trees while they are still in their nursery pots until you get a loose, curving zig-zag.

Space them from 7 to 15 feet apart. Choose to vary the spacing to create a retreat in your yard. The closer you plant them, the more quickly their canopies will touch.

For a row of individual trees, place them 15 feet apart. In this application, buy the single stem form.

Birch love cool, moist soil with their leaves in full sun. Try them along a north-facing slope or a site where the house or building may shade the root zone, but their canopy receives at least 6 hours of sunlight a day. In that location, Birch will be robust, vigorous and stress-free.

They are also great trees to add to the Middle Zone of Rain Gardens. They are happy to have periodically damp soil to grow into.

#ProPlantTips for Care

Birch will bleed sap if pruned in winter or early spring, so wait until the leaves are out on your Birch trees before you prune them. No need to use pruning paint.

This easy-care tree thrives in either full sun or partial shade. It's not fussy about soil type and can grow even in poor soils. This tree is wonderful in urban settings. It can easily handle air pollution.

The only thing you'll need to do is keep it watered, as it won't tolerate drier conditions in periods of drought. Cool, moist soils are ideal. An evenly scheduled moderate amount of moisture is best. As you get into the warmer, drier regions, the plants will appreciate additional moisture as needed to keep them stress-free especially later in summer going into winter.

Be sure to mulch the area beneath if you are in the warmer zones as it will help to maintain even moisture at the roots. Using a thick layer of mulch around the tree spread out 3 feet beyond the canopy will really help cover the top of the root systems and protect it.

Please don't let the mulch touch the trunk of the tree. Pull mulch back and keep it a few inches away from the trunk.

Once established, Whitespire Birch is very low maintenance. Place your order for the Whitespire Birch today. This is truly an outstanding choice for cooler growing Zones.