Water Birch (Red Birch) vs Sweet Birch (Black Birch)

Water Birch, also known as Red Birch, is a waterside plant native to western North America. This multi-stemmed species is ideal for wetlands. It tolerates being planted in heavy clay and wet soil conditions.

This tree grows small enough for yards with limited space.

It is an attractive ornamental with reddish non-peeling bark.

Note: Unfortunately this difficult to grow species is not currently scheduled to grow at TreeTime.ca. Perhaps try purchasing seed from SeedTime.ca and growing your own? Or sign up for a restock notification above.

Sweet Birch (Black Birch) is an attractive tree with a rounded shape native to eastern North America that would be a good addition to landscapes. It has a conical growth shape when young and as it ages the shape becomes more rounded. When the leaves, shoots, or bark are crushed they give off a sweet scent, which is what gives the Sweet Birch its name.

In early spring, the trees can be tapped and the sap used to produce syrup or fermented and made into birch beer. Pollinators and birds are attracted to the Sweet Birch as the pollen and seeds serve as a good food source. In the fall, the leaves turn golden yellow which will brighten your landscape.

The inner bark has a strong wintergreen scent and has been used to produce oil of wintergreen. Small twigs and bark of the tree can be boiled in water to make a tasty Sweet Birch tea.

Compare Water Birch (Red Birch) with

Compare Sweet Birch (Black Birch) with