Bog Birch vs Falsebox - TreeTime.ca

Bog Birch vs Falsebox

Paxistima myrsinites

Betula pumila

CUSTOM GROW

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Falsebox
Bog Birch

Falsebox is a hardy, native evergreen shrub found in forests, rocky slopes, and open woodland sites. Though small and easily overlooked among the leaves, the maroon flowers still supply nectar and pollen for pollinators such as native bees and flies. Blooming in spring, they provide an important early-season food source. Its year-round greenery adds visual interest through the winter.

Falsebox is a low-growing shrub that tolerates a wide range of conditions, including drought once established. It thrives particularly well beneath the shade of mature trees, where few other plants succeed. With its resilience and ecological value, Falsebox is well-suited for naturalization, restoration projects, and diverse landscape plantings.

Bog Birch is a hardy, deciduous shrub native to North America. It thrives in wetlands, riparian zones, and boreal forests, and can be found as far north as the Arctic Circle—making it one of the few woody plants to grow in such extreme climates.

In Western Canada, it is especially common in moist lowlands, along streambanks, and in peatlands. Beyond its ecological role in stabilizing soils and supporting wildlife, Bog Birch is frequently used in reclamation and restoration projects due to its resilience and ability to establish quickly in disturbed or degraded landscapes.

Note: We use Bog Birch for Betula pumila. This species is also known by many other common names, including Dwarf Birch, Swamp Birch, and others. Please confirm the scientific name to ensure you are ordering the correct plant.

Falsebox Quick Facts

Bog Birch Quick Facts

Zone: 5a
Zone: 2a
Height: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Height: 2.4 m (8 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 1.2 m (4 ft)
Light: any
Light: full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: very fast
Life span: medium
Life span: short
Growth form: prostrate to spreading
Spreading: layering - medium
Suckering: none


Foliage: evergreen, leathery leaves
Fall colour: red-orange
Bark: reddish-brown
Flowers: small, maroon-purple, fragrant
Bloom time: summer
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Other Names: false box, mountain boxwood, mountain lover, myrtle boxwood, oregon boxleaf, oregon boxwood
Other Names: dwarf birch, low birch, scrub birch, swamp birch