Betula nigra 'Heritage': 'Heritage' River Birch

A North American native, 'Heritage' river birch can grow 50 to 80 feet tall but is often seen at 40 to 50 feet. It will grow about 30 inches or more each year in USDA hardiness zone 7, faster in the South. It has a narrow, pyramidal to oval crown with many fine branches when young, spreading wider and becoming more oval with age, with several branches eventually becoming dominant. It has scaly, beige or creamy white bark, which remains an attractive pinkish-white for a longer period of time than the species. The leaves are generally shaped like a triangle.