While we all enjoy a nice sunny day, sometimes you just really need some shade. Imagine a hot summer day where you’ve been outside and finally, just get to sit for a moment under a huge tree. So, relaxing isn’t it? The temperature drops, you can appreciate the breeze, and all is well.
Birch trees can be the perfect tree to give you some shade on those sunny days. Let’s talk about why.
Birch trees are wonderful shade trees. They are both fast-growing and adaptable, have large canopies, and can grow to be quite tall. These trees are found in most areas across North America and are reliable and resourceful trees, that can be used for shade!
If you’ve spent some time considering what tree might be best as a shade tree, look no further! The birch tree may just be the option for you.
Intrigued? Stick around to find out more about the reasons that birch trees are wonderful shade trees!
Characteristics Of Birch Trees That Make Them Good Shade Trees
Birch trees are generally large trees. They have canopies that are both dense and wide, which are two attributes in ensuring that you have the most shade possible.
Any tree is going to provide you with some sort of shade, that’s a given. However, the difference between any tree and a birch tree lies in the canopy.
With leaves that do happen to be denser, widths that span for wider distances, and even trunks that happen to be taller, birch trees are in a prime position to cover more ground and provide you with more shade.
Birch Trees Will Grow In All Environments That Are Not Dry
Birch trees do have some preferences about the environment in which they live – as they don’t do as well in drier areas. So they’re a no-go for any desert habitats.
Birches tend to grow anywhere from 40 to 70 feet tall, and their canopies can span anywhere from 35 to 60 feet wide. So, although these trees may not be the tallest that you’ve ever seen, their delicate looks pair well with a tall, sturdy structure.
The combination of a birch tree’s height and canopy spread make for a wide area of shade.
Birch Trees Grow Really Fast
Birch trees are known to be fast-growing, reaching about 3 feet, or 36 inches, per year at times.
Because these birch trees are able to grow quickly, in many environments, they are a wonderful contender to be your next shade tree!
Birch trees thrive in USDA Hardiness Zones 2-9, making them fit to grow in much of the United States.
Birch trees are considered one of the best shade trees thanks to their canopy, adaptability, and plethora of uses. Let’s talk more about that below!
Birch Trees Can Grow Across Most Of The United States
There are over 60 types of birch trees, but USDA Hardiness Zones 2-9 encompass the areas where most birch trees can grow best.
With zones ranging from 1-13, this means that birch trees cover a lot of ground.
But wait a second. What in the world is a hardiness zone and why is it important? Well, let’s get talking!
What Does Hardiness Zone Mean, Anyway?
Easy! The hardiness of a plant refers to how ‘cold hardy’ it is, which is really just a fancy way of saying, “Okay, so how cold can it get before the tree starts struggling?”
The USDA hardiness zones help to determine the coldest temperature it can get in any given zone.
So, for example, in zone 2, the average extreme low temperature would be -50 degrees Fahrenheit. In zone 9, the coldest extreme temperature that you can expect would be a balmy 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
What Are The Hardiness Zones For Common Birch Trees?
Depending on which birch tree you intend to plant, the hardiness zone differs. We’re going to discuss the most common birch trees below, and how their hardiness zones may differ.
River Birch
This species grows best in USDA hardiness zones 4-9.
The range of average extreme low temperatures for a river birch is -30 to 25 degrees Fahrenheit.
Silver Birch
This type of birch prefers USDA hardiness zones 2-7.
The range of average extreme low temperatures for the silver birch species is anywhere from -50 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit.
Gray Birch
Our third example species most often resides in USDA hardiness zones 3-8.
The range of average extreme low temperatures for the gray birch can be seen as a middle point between the first two birches, at -40 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit.
Paper Birch
Finally, we have the paper birch species, which can be found in USDA hardiness zones 2-7.
Just like silver birch, that means that paper birch prefers an average extreme low-temperature range of -50 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit.
You can learn more about the best places to plant oak trees in our article about the best places to plant a birch tree and where they grow best.
Birch Trees Have Large Canopies That Provide Shade
Birch trees, like oaks, maples, and other trees, happen to have a very large canopy that is perfect for casting shade on even the sunniest of days.
While the birch tree, on average, has a canopy that spans from 35 to 60 feet wide, we should take a look at our few different example species of birch.
The Canopy Sizes Of Different Birch Trees
River Birch
This tree grows to a height of 40 to 70 feet tall, with a canopy that spans from 40 to 60 feet wide.
Silver Birch
A silver birch grows to be closer to 40 feet tall, with a canopy that is anywhere from 15 to 30 feet wide. Smaller than its counterparts, this is why it is important to do research on the species of tree and not just the general type of tree.
Gray Birch
This one gets to be about 30 feet, even shorter than the silver birch. The canopy is also a bit more compact, at 10 to 20 feet wide.
Paper Birch
The paper birch will grow to 50 to 80 feet tall, with a canopy that is a bit smaller, at 35 feet wide, on average. This happens to be the tallest one on our list, though the canopy is not quite as wide as that of the river birch.
We hope that these examples help to show you how the averages are given for a type of tree truly do vary by each specific species. It helps to see what you are getting into, which is why we recommend seeing what species best fits your growing zone, and going from there to research size. For more help, always contact a professional as they will know the best.
Birch Trees Grow Quite Quickly
Most birch trees also grow rather quickly, which means that even when you plant them from seedlings or saplings, you’ll have a shade tree fast!
Of course, it will take some time for your tree to mature to those heights of 40 to 70 feet (give or take), but at nearly 3 feet per year, it would only take about 6 years to have a tree that is beginning to tower over your space.
The Rate Of Growth Of Different Birch Trees
River Birch
With a medium growth rate, the river birch grows anywhere from 13-24 inches, or just over 1-2 feet, per year. Sometimes, it can grow over 2 feet per year, depending on environmental conditions.
Silver Birch
The silver birch has a similar growth rate and can be expected to grow about 1-2 feet per year, more or less.
Gray Birch
This one skews a bit toward the faster side, at closer to 1.5-2 feet per year.
Paper Birch
Our final birch is the same as the first two, growing about 1-2 feet per year.
As you can see, unlike the hardiness zones and potential size of the different species, the growth rate of birch trees tends to vary a bit less.
To learn more about the different types of birch trees, read our article on how to identify different varieties!
Birch Trees Have Medicinal Properties
Birch trees are well-known for their medicinal qualities used by professionals and in ancient times. They often received medicinal benefits by drinking sap or making tea from the leaves and/or the sap of the tree. However, we do not suggest you do this, and always talk to your healthcare provider if you have any questions.
These trees are great at providing anti-inflammatory assistance, as well as helping with some other ailments.
Helpful Uses Of Birch Trees
Let’s keep in mind that there isn’t a ton of scientific research done on this. However, in many cultures, birch trees have been used to treat the following:
- First and foremost, birch trees are great at helping treat pain and inflammation like headaches and sinus infections
- Have heartburn? Drink some birch tree tea!
- Birch trees can even help to ease the process of passing kidney stones. If you’ve had one, you know how important pain relief is to the process
- Skin conditions, including eczema and fungal and parasitic conditions can be helped by making a sort of salve out of birch sap
- Cuts, scratches, and minor wounds
- Infections of the urinary tract are also something that a birch tree tea can help eliminate
Read our article to learn more about how and when to harvest sap from your birch tree!
Birch Trees Do Well In Many Soil Types
Birch trees are not only cold hardy with wide canopies and medicinal properties, but they also do well in most soil types. As we mentioned above, dry-air conditions are not the best for these trees, so the desert may not be the right place to rely on birch as a shade tree.
If you do have a birch that is already growing in a drier climate, we recommend utilizing an irrigation system like this MIXC 226FT Greenhouse Micro Drip Irrigation Kit Automatic Irrigation System Patio Misting Plant Watering System to help keep you, and your tree, on track.
Birch trees do prefer moist, sandy, and loamy soil, when possible. However, they can adapt to conditions that are less ideal. In this case, we recommend helping give your birch a boost with some fertilizer.
If you need to help provide some nutrients for your tree due to soil conditions, an NPK of 30-10-10 is ideal.
What Exactly Is An NPK, You Might Be Asking?
Good question, let’s talk about it!
NPK is an acronym that stands for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. It reflects the ratio of each of these important elements to one another.
So, we see that birch trees need about 3 times as much nitrogen as they do phosphorus or potassium and that the second two elements can be given in equal parts.
The Southern Ag Max Acid Water Soluble Fertilizer comes in a 1LB bag and is a great deal at under $20! We recommend this as a well-balanced fertilizer option to get you started.
Birch Trees Have Multifaceted Uses
Other than their medicinal properties, birch trees really do knock it out of the park when it comes to versatility.
Renowned by survivalists for the ability to produce food, medicine, shelter, tools like rope, and food storage like bowls and bins, birch trees are phenomenal providers.
Birch Trees Provide Tools
As needed, things like medicine and rope can be made from the bark. Other things like bowls and bins can be made from the bark as well.
Birch Trees Provide Food
When it comes to food, the inner layer of birch bark is where it’s at. There is a high starch content that can be turned into bread or pasta, and added to soups to give them more texture and thickness – however, definitely contact a professional before doing this on your own.
The leaves of a birch tree can also be eaten. You can think of them a bit like spinach because they can be cooked or eaten raw, even if a bit bitter.
While you likely won’t need to utilize your birch in this way, it helps to understand that the option is there for your birch to provide a whole lot more than just shade, and why it was such an important tree for our earlier settlers.
Birch trees can offer great environments to plant shade loving plants. For more ideas on what to plant under your birch trees, check out our article!
Should I Plant A Birch Tree?
As you look at all of the reasons why birch trees make such wonderful shade trees, you may be left with one question – should I really plant a birch tree? Well, let’s talk about why you shouldn’t!
Why Shouldn’t I Plant An Oak Tree?
There are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to potential problems that a birch tree might have.
Like any tree, there are pros and cons to consider as you decide what to plant.We want you to have both sides of the story, even though most of the cons can be applied to other similar trees.
Reasons why you may not want to plant a birch tree as a shade tree:
- Birch trees sometimes have to fight off birch borers, leaf-miners, and aphids, along with other infestations.
- There is a possibility of branch dieback. This is when all of the leaves on a couple branches will stop growing and, eventually, the entire branch will die. This problem would significantly hinder your supply of shade.
- Birch trees are messy.
- Birch trees, namely river birches, are ‘bleeders.’ This means that birches release large amounts of sap.
While most trees have the possibility of infestation or dieback, these things will most definitely hinder your tree’s ability to provide you with the shade that you planted it for. You’ll want to be aware of the pros and cons anytime you decide whether to plant a new tree.
You can also learn more about birch trees and sap by reading our piece on why birch trees are so messy.
That’s A Wrap!
Alright, that’s our cue.
To give you a final answer, with a nice little bow on top, birch trees are wonderful shade trees and well worth the investment of time and care that you will put into them.
Let’s take a second to recap exactly why we say this.
Birch Trees Make Great Shade Trees
- Birch trees can grow across most of the United States
- Birch trees have large canopies that provide shade
- Birch trees grow quite quickly
- Birch trees have medicinal properties
- Birch trees do well in many soil types
- Birch trees have multifaceted uses
Birch trees are a great shade tree, thanks to their canopies that range from 35 to 60 feet in width, their ability to grow quickly, and all of their other many uses. These trees can help sustain life, provide shelter from the sun, and can grow across the North American continent.
With the potential to reach around 70 feet tall, birch trees provide a large, sturdy shelter from the sun while also being able to thrive across growing zones 2-9. Chances are that this could be the right tree for you!
We want to wish you the best of luck as you continue along your tree journey. It may take some time to hit your stride, but we are confident that you will plant the best shade tree for you and your space.
Until next time, friends!
References:
Lachowicz, H., Sajdak, M., Paschalis-Jakubowicz, P., Cichy, W., Wojtan, R., & Witczak, M. (2018). The influence of location, tree age and forest habitat type on basic fuel properties of the wood of the silver birch (Betula pendula Roth.) in Poland. BioEnergy Research, 11(3), 638-651.
Penn State Extension. (2019, September 22). Planting in Sun or Shade. Penn State Extension.
REY, A., & JARVIS, P. G. (1997). Growth Response of Young Birch Trees (Betula pendulaRoth.) After Four and a Half Years of CO2Exposure. Annals of Botany, 80(6), 809-816.
