Northern Tribute® River Birch
Scientific Name: Betula nigra ‘Dickinson’
Family: Betulaceae
Location on Campus: 46.895318, -96.803155
Description: An outstanding landscape specimen with its upright rounded habit and ivory bark exfoliating to copper-bronze. Northern Tribute® has shown superior adaptability to stresses of the Upper Midwest and Northern Plains. It has shown no signs of winter injury or iron chlorosis in alkaline soils and has performed well in compacted, dry soils, which is extremely atypical of the species and other selected cultivars.
Hardiness: USDA hardiness zones 3 to 9
Native Habitat: Canada and Southeastern United States.
Mature Size: Height: 35’ - 40’, Spread: 30’
Form (Shape): Upright oval.
Growth Rate: Moderate to fast.
Foliage: Deciduous. Summer foliage is a glossy dark green, turning yellow in the fall.
Texture: Medium.
Flowers: Brown or green flowers (catkins) bloom in the spring. Not ornamental.
Fruit: Nutlets form in the fall and shed their seeds in the spring. Not ornamental.
Light: Full sun to part shade.
Soil: Prefers moist well-drained soil but performs well in compacted, dry soils. It is pH tolerant including alkaline soils.
Propagation: Tissue cutting or softwood cutting.
Failure Patterns: Can become stressed or begin to decline in dry soils. This selection performs better than other river birches in compacted, dry soils and is pH tolerant.
Insects and Diseases: Resistant to bronze birch borer, may develop leaf spot.
Landscape Use: Works well as a tree in large spaces like parks, golf courses and campuses, if it gets enough water.
Availability: Available in the trade.
