Betula nana

RHS Plant Profile
dwarf birch

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Other common names

Arctic birch

Shrubs
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A diminutive birch to a height of up to 75cm with tiny rounded, yet serrated deciduous green leaves which turn dramatic shades of red and yellow in autumn. Perfect for a rock garden

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Loam, Sand, Clay, Chalk

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

1-1.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
10–20 years
Max Spread
1-1.5 metres
Max Height
0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand Clay Chalk
Moisture
Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH
Neutral or Acid or Alkaline

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
West–facing or South–facing or North–facing or East–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H7

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Betulaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
Yes
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Bushy, Spreading branched, Clump forming
Genus
Betula can be deciduous trees or shrubs, usually colouring well in autumn and often with striking white, pink, or peeling brown bark; separate male and female catkins open before or with the leaves in spring
Name Status
Correct

How to Grow

Cultivation

Will grow in a wide range of situations, sun or part shade. Ideal for a rock garden

Propagation

Propagate by seed sown in a seed bed in autumn or take softwood cuttings in summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Rock garden
  • Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Pruning group 1; birches bleed heavily, prune only when fully dormant from late summer to before mid-winter

Pests

May be susceptible to birch borers, leaf-mining sawflies and aphids

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus, a tree rust and powdery mildews