About
Betula raddeana is a small tree or sizable shrub characterized by its white to silver-grey peeling bark. Its dark green, ribbed leaves transition to yellow in the fall and grow on soft, fuzzy stems. In early spring, it produces drooping yellow-brown catkins.
About the genus
Betula comprises both deciduous trees and shrubs, known for their vibrant autumn foliage and distinctive bark that can be white, pink, or brown and peeling. In spring, male and female catkins emerge separately, preceding or coinciding with leaf growth.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil type
- Clay, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained, Well-drained
- Aspect
- North-facing, West-facing, South-facing, East-facing
- Exposure
- Exposed, Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H7
Plant details
- Plant type
- Shrubs, Trees
- Habit
- Bushy
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 4-8 metres
- Spread
- 4-8 metres
- Time to full height
- 10-20 years
- Suggested uses
- Cottage and informal garden, Wildflower meadow, Coastal, Wildlife gardens
- Native to
- Caucasus
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow in moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade; tolerant of a range of soil conditions. See tree cultivation for further advice
- Pruning
- Pruning group 1; birches bleed heavily, prune only when fully dormant from late summer to before mid-winter
- Propagation
- Propagate by seed, softwood cuttings or grafting
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to birch borers, leaf-mining sawflies and aphids
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to honey fungus, a tree rust and powdery mildews