Dwarf Birch.

De un vistazo

Nivel de cuidados

Media

Tipo de planta

Deciduous shrub

Luz

Full sun to partial shade

Luz en interior

Luz indirecta brillante

Riego

Cada 3 a 7 días

Tamaño adulto

1 to 4 feet

Ritmo de crecimiento

Lento

Rusticidad

USDA 1 a 7

Floración

Late spring

Cuidados

Keep the soil consistently moist to mimic its natural boggy habitat. Watch for wilting or leaf drop, which often signal that the plant is drying out too much. Ensure it gets plenty of cool air, as it struggles in intense heat.

Riego

Keep the soil damp at all times but not waterlogged.

Abonado

Apply a balanced, acidic fertilizer during the active growing season.

Poda

Trim back dead or crossing branches in late winter while the plant is dormant.

Trasplante

Repot only when the roots have filled the container or the soil has broken down.

Suelo

Acidic, peaty, and moist

pH del suelo

4.5 to 6.0

Temperatura

-40 a 20°C

Humedad

40 a 80%

Tolerancia a la sequía

Moderada

Longevidad

Perennial, can live for several decades in ideal conditions.

Resistencia a ciervos y conejos

Moderada

Seguridad

Personas

This plant is not considered toxic to humans.

Niños

There are no specific safety concerns for children regarding this plant.

Alérgenos por contacto

The foliage may cause mild skin irritation in sensitive individuals.

Alérgenos en el aire

The windborne pollen can trigger seasonal allergies in susceptible people.

Comestibilidad

The leaves and catkins are not typically consumed by humans.

Cómo identificarla

• Small rounded serrated leaves
• Low growing shrubby habit
• Dark brown papery bark
• Tiny catkins in spring

Altura

0,1 a 1,2m

Anchura

0,3 a 1,5m

Hojas

green, yellow, deciduous

Flores

brown, yellow, 1 a 2cm

Frutos

brown, Late summer

Problemas frecuentes

• Birch leaf miner — Small larvae create tunnels inside the leaves, causing browning.

Cómo cultivarla

Propagación

cuttings, seed

Cuándo plantar

spring, autumn

Cuidados en invierno

It is fully hardy and requires no special protection during winter. Ensure the soil does not dry out completely if the winter is mild.

En maceta

It grows well in containers if kept in a cool, well ventilated area with consistent moisture.

Group this plant with other slow growing alpine species to prevent it from being crowded out.

Buenas compañeras

• Papaver radicatum — They share similar environmental requirements in rocky, cold soils.
• Dryas octopetala — This low growing mat plant complements the dwarf birch habit.

Especies parecidas

• Betula papyrifera — A much larger relative that shares the same genus.

Ciencia

Familia

Betulaceae

Género

Betula

Orden

Fagales

Clase

Magnoliopsida

Distribución natural

Circumpolar regions including northern Europe, Asia, and North America.

Conservación

It is protected in some parts of its southern range due to habitat loss.

It survives in harsh, nutrient poor soils by forming symbiotic relationships with mycorrhizal fungi.

Valor para la fauna

larval host plant, shelter for small insects

Polinizadores

abejas, mariposas

Usos

rock gardens, tundra restoration, ornamental shrub

Taxonomía cotejada con GBIF.

Lo que más preguntan

Can I grow this in a warm climate?

No, it requires cool summers and cold winters to thrive.

How fast does it grow?

It is a very slow growing shrub, often adding only a few centimeters per year.

De dónde viene el nombre

The specific epithet nana means dwarf, referring to its low, creeping growth habit.

Bueno saberlo

• It is one of the smallest birch species in the world.
• It often hybridizes with other birch species where their ranges overlap.
• The leaves turn a beautiful golden yellow in the autumn.
• It is a key species for stabilizing soil in arctic environments.