Willow · CC BY 2.5
Downy birch
Tree·Betula pubescens
Full sun
Sun
Medium
Water
Wet soil
Drainage
Zones 2–7
Hardiness
Downy birch (Betula pubescens) is a tree. It grows best in full sun and has moderate water needs.
Through the year
DormantLeafing outFloweringFruitingDying back
Works well with
from wiki dataNo companions recorded.
WHAT IT NEEDS
Wants full sun
Needs moderate water
Tolerates wet or waterlogged soil
Prefers soil pH 4.5–7.5
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Prefers loam, sand, clay soil
Tolerates some soil compaction
Draws up calcium, potassium from deep in the soil
Adds a lot of organic matter to the soil
Partners with mycorrhizal fungi to boost nutrient uptake
WHAT IT GIVES
Gives shade (medium)
Gives leaf litter (high)
Gives organic matter (high)
Gives habitat (high)
Gives timber (medium)
Provides calcium
Provides potassium
Attracts pollinators
Shelters birds
HOW IT GROWS
SIZE & SPACING
Sub-canopy tree
Height1000–2000 cm
Spacing600 cm (min 400 cm)
Root depthMedium
Width400–800 cm
Width figures are rough estimates, the most variable measurement in our data.
AI estimate · accuracy improves as growers contribute corrections.
HOW TO PROPAGATE
Propagate by seed, cuttings
Difficulty
Establishes in about 1 yr
Self-seeds readily on its own
Where this comes from
Parsed4 Oct 2026
ConfidenceNot recorded
Photograph Willow · CC BY 2.5