Choosing a Birch variety or other tree type

10 years ago

Hi there, I have a very sick Chokecherry completely infested with Black Knot Fungus. I plan to have it removed next year. We have tried saving it on 3 occasions, with a fungicide and then twice with pruning with no luck.

I have been flip flopping and contemplating what to plant in the area the Chokecherry is in. The location is about 4 feet wide, one side it the interlocking surrounding our pool and the other side is our fence. I do not want to plant a tree thats trunk will outgrow the space and damage the surround. The Chokecherry is about 16-18 years old and has caused no damage.

I am going to most likely go with a Birch. I would prefer one with white bark. I saw one called a Himalayan Birch which was beautiful.

I know that the white barked birches are less hardy than the ones with the natural color bark.

What are the most hardy birch varieties?

Thanks!

Comments (2)

mulchmama
10 years ago
If the location is only 4-ft wide, I can't see how any tree will fit, but especially not a birch with multiple trunks. Even at chest height, a very young birch (any kind) will far exceed your 4-ft space. And at maturity, a birch can have a spread as much as 40 feet. Wrong tree, wrong spot, sorry.

Also, though Himalayans are gorgeous trees, they are not all that resistant to the bronze birch borer, a significant pest/killer of the white-barked birches. The only birch that offers significant resistance is Betula nigra, or River Birch.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
10 years ago
I'd agree that size will be a major concern in selection.....can you post a photo of the area?

And FWIW, paper birch, Betula papyifera, has some of the whitest bark of the genus, is a native species and is extremely hardy - zone 2. But is also very susceptible to the borers.
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