Summer Cascade River Birch

Summer Cascade River Birch (Betula nigra 'Summer Cascade') is a weeping birch grafted to stay small enough for a suburban block. Where the species climbs past 15m, this form settles at roughly 4m tall and 4m wide, with long pendulous branches that reach the ground and peeling cinnamon bark underneath. The leaves turn clear yellow in autumn before dropping.

Why you'll love it

• A weeping tree that actually fits. At about 4m in both directions it gives a real canopy without the scale of a full sized birch.
• Three seasons of interest. Fresh green in spring, a curtain of foliage through summer, then clear yellow autumn colour and peeling bark once the leaves drop.
• It likes damp ground. River birch tolerates wet feet, so the low corner that stays soggy after rain is a genuine option.
• Fast, and weather hardy. It reads as a feature within a few seasons, and it is frost hardy, heat tolerant and wind tolerant.

Where it works best

Feature planting. A specimen tree, best used singly where you can walk around it. Give it a clear 4m of space, with lawn or low planting beneath so the weeping form shows to the ground.

Small gardens and courtyards. The compact grafted size makes it one of the few weeping trees that suits a modern block. Plant it 2.5m to 3m clear of a fence.

Light shade over a seat. The canopy casts filtered shade in summer and lets sun through once the leaves drop, which is what a year round seating area needs.

Growing Summer Cascade River Birch in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to light shade. This is a cool temperate and warm temperate tree, suited to Victoria, Tasmania, the southern tablelands, Adelaide, Perth and cooler parts of New South Wales. It is not a plant for subtropical or tropical gardens.

Soil. It prefers moist, slightly acidic soil with organic matter through it and, unlike most trees, accepts damp ground. It is far less happy on dry, alkaline or shallow soil. Mulch 75mm deep to the edge of the canopy.

Water and feed. This is a high water tree, not a drought tolerant one. Water deeply twice a week through the first two summers and keep the water up in dry spells, because a stressed birch drops leaves early and loses its autumn colour.

Pruning and staking. Very little pruning is needed. Remove any shoots below the graft union promptly, since they revert to the upright species. Stake for the first two years.

What to expect when it arrives

It is supplied in a 400mm pot, an established young tree with a formed weeping head rather than a whip. It gives real presence in the first season and is stable enough to plant straight out with a stake.

Being deciduous, a tree sent through winter arrives bare stemmed, which is normal and the easiest time to plant one. In leaf, expect some leaf loss in transit. Water deeply through the first two summers and expect strong growth from the second season. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Evergreen or deciduous, and how to choose
• Browse the full deciduous tree range
• Compare other plants with autumn colour
• What else suits small urban gardens

Common questions

How big will it actually get?

Around 4m tall and 4m wide, a fraction of the 15m the species reaches. The final height depends on how high the weeping head was grafted and whether a leader is staked upright.

Will it grow in Brisbane or further north?

No, and it is worth being clear about it. This is a cool temperate and warm temperate tree. In subtropical and tropical gardens the summer heat and humidity stress it, and the autumn colour never really arrives.

Are the roots a problem near paving or pipes?

Birch roots are shallow and follow moisture, so give it 3m of clearance from paving, drains and service lines. Plant it in open ground rather than a narrow strip beside a slab.