Monarch Birch

Betula maximowicziana

Betulaceae · broadleaf deciduous tree · introduced

Last updated May 27, 2026

Plant Profile

Size & Form

Height

45 ft

Spread

40 ft

Growth Rate

Fast

Site Requirements

Light

Full Sun

Soil Drainage

Well Drained To Moist

Soil pH

4.5-7.5 (strongly acidic to slightly alkaline)

Water

Moderate

Drought Tolerance

Moderate

Hardiness

Zones 5a–8b

Ornamental Interest

Bloom Time

Fall, Spring, Summer

Fall Color

Gold, yellow

Origin

northern Japan

RustHigh

Uredinial Stage (Summer)

Wood DecayHigh

Wound Infection Window

AphidHigh

Peak Population & Dispersal

Birch leafminerHigh

Adult Emergence

+ 4 more — see full disease and pest lists below

Diseases: Regionally Documented (3)

Multiple genera (Melampsoridium, Thekopsora, Naohidemyces... Rust Symptom category — not a single disease Canker Multiple Basidiomycete fungi cause wood decay in trees Wood Decay

Pests: Regionally Documented (9)

Agrilus anxius Bronze birch borer Fenusa pusilla Birch leafminer Aphidoidea Aphid Lepidosaphes ulmi Oystershell scale Choreutis pariana Apple-and-thorn skeletonizer Prionoxystus robiniae Carpenterworm Hyphantria cunea Fall webworm Symphyta Sawfly Malacosoma spp. Tent caterpillar

Data Maturity

Structured Multiple sources. Expert review underway.