Sweet Birch

Betula lenta

Betulaceae · broadleaf · introduced

Quick Facts

Height

75 ft

Growth Rate

Moderate

Light

Full Sun

Soil

Well Drained

Water

Moderate

Hardiness

Zone Zones 4b–9b

Bloom Time

April to May

Origin

extends from Maine to southern Ontario, south to Ohio and

Phenological Calendar

Stage	Typical Window	What to Look For
Bud break BBCH 07	Feb 15-Mar 15	Buds swelling and beginning to open; first green tissue visible
Leaf emergence BBCH 11	Mar 1-Apr 1	First leaves fully unfurled on new growth
Bloom start BBCH 61	May 1-May 31	First open flowers visible; flowers yellow
Bloom end / petal fall BBCH 69	May 15-Jun 15	Last petals falling; flower structures fading
Fruit/seed development BBCH 71	Jun 1-Aug 31	Fruit or seed structures forming; fruit color: brown
Fruit/seed maturity BBCH 85	Sep 1-Nov 30	Fruit fully colored and ripened; seed dispersal may begin
Leaf drop BBCH 93	Oct 15-Nov 30	Leaves yellowing and dropping; no significant fall color display
Dormancy BBCH 97	Nov 15-Feb 28	Leafless; no active growth; dormant buds set

Diseases (16)

Thekopsora minima and Naohidemyces vaccinii Rust

Cytospora spp. (synonyms: Leucostoma, Valsa) Canker

Limb and Wood Decay

Armillaria ostoyae Armillaria Root Rot

Apiosporina morbosa Black Knot

The fungi Brown Rot Blossom Blight and Fruit Rot

Rhizobium radiobacter (formerly Agrobacterium tumefaciens) Crown Gall

Cytospora canker Cytospora Canker

Various fungi (Phyllosticta spp., Septoria spp., Cercospo... Leaf Spot

Cherry mottle leaf virus Mottle leaf

Uncharacterized graft Necrotic rusty mottle

Podosphaera aphanis var. aphanis Powdery Mildew

Verticillium dahliae Verticillium Wilt

Taphrina wiesneri Witches'-broom (Cherry leaf curl)

Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae Bacterial Canker

Prunus necrotic Prunus Necrotic Ringspot