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Shrubs

Betula nana

dwarf birch

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

Other common names

Arctic birch

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Ultimate height

0.1–0.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

10–20 years

Ultimate spread

1–1.5 metres

Loam

Sand

Clay

Chalk

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Neutral, Acid, Alkaline

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

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)

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

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