Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Betulaceae

Genus:

Betula

Species:

Betula gmelinii

Growth Characteristics

Growth Habit:

Shrub

Height:

1500 cm

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Bloom Months:

apr,may

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★★★ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, small mammals

Fall Color:

yellow

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Can resprout from the base after fire damage. Pioneer species that colonizes disturbed areas including post-fire sites.

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Germination Time:

14–42 days

Notes:

Seeds require light for germination. Surface sow and do not cover. Fresh seed germinates best.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI