Japanese White Birch

Japanese White Birch 'Whitespire' (Betula platyphylla var. japonica 'Whitespire') is the birch to plant when you want chalky white bark in a garden with no room for a spreading tree. It grows to about 9m tall and only 4m wide, holding a narrow pyramidal shape, and the leaves turn clear gold before they fall in autumn. It is a tougher selection than the old silver birch, with better tolerance of heat and borer.

Why you'll love it

• Bark that lights up a garden. The trunk develops a chalky white surface that stands out against a dark fence, and it looks best in winter when the branches are bare.
• Tall and narrow. At roughly 9m by 4m it gives height along a boundary or a driveway without casting a wide, heavy shadow.
• Gold autumn colour. The foliage turns a clean yellow gold before dropping, then the white trunk carries the winter.
• Pet friendly, and happy in damp ground. Not toxic to cats or dogs, and both wet feet tolerant and wind tolerant.

Where it works best

Feature planting. A group of three at 2m spacing makes a grove and reads far better than a single tree, because the bark works as a repeated vertical line.

Screening and privacy. Plant 2m apart for a light screen. It filters a view rather than blocking it, and being deciduous it lets winter sun through.

Driveways and small gardens. The narrow crown suits an avenue along a drive, and a single tree fits a courtyard where a wider canopy would not.

Growing Japanese White Birch in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun and cool temperate or warm temperate conditions: southern gardens, the tablelands, the highlands and cooler inland districts. It is frost hardy and wind tolerant. In subtropical and tropical areas it is the wrong choice.

Soil. Deep, moisture retentive soil is ideal, and unlike most trees it accepts ground that stays damp. Work compost through the backfill and mulch 75mm deep, clear of the trunk.

Water and feed. Birches dislike drying out. Water deeply twice a week through the first two summers and keep water up in dry spells for the life of the tree, since drought stress is what invites borer. Feed a complete slow release fertiliser in early spring.

Pruning. Prune in late summer or autumn, never in late winter or spring when the sap is rising and cuts bleed heavily. Remove damaged wood, lift the lower branches for clearance, and leave the rest to build its natural shape.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in 45L and 100L containers, so both sizes are established trees with a formed trunk rather than young whips. The 45L is easier to handle and settles quickly; the 100L gives immediate height.

Remember that it is deciduous. A tree delivered in winter arrives bare, which is completely normal, with new leaves appearing in spring. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the deciduous tree range
• Other plants with autumn colour
• Tall and narrow screening plants
• Evergreen and deciduous trees compared

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

Two metres apart for a light screen or a grove. That is closer than the mature width, which is deliberate: birches are planted in groups so the trunks overlap visually.

Will it grow in a warm climate?

It handles warm temperate gardens better than silver birch does, but it is still a cool climate tree. In subtropical and tropical areas it will struggle.

Can I plant it near paving?

Keep it back. The root system is shallow and spreading, so allow a few metres between the trunk and any path, driveway or slab, and mulch the root zone rather than paving over it.

Is it safe around pets?

Yes. It is not toxic to cats or dogs, so it can go in a garden where animals spend time.