Betula nigra 'Cully' Heritage

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Common name: Heritage River Birch, Heritage Black Birch, Heritage Red Birch

Family: Betulaceae (Birch)

Distribution: Cultivated

Hardiness: -30 - 30 F

Life form: Deciduous tree

Bloom Time: April to May

Attracts: Butterflies w/ host

Fall color: Yellow

Disease resistance: Good resistance to leaf spot diseases.

Pest resistance: Extremely resistant to bronze birch borer.

Average height: 50-80'

Structure: Young: narrow, pyramidal to oval Mature: oval

Bark characteristics: Twig: brown to reddish. Bark scaly, beige or white and remains pinkish-white for longer than the species.

Foliage characteristics: Alternate, simple, and ovate with double serrated leaf margins. 2-4" long.

Fruit characteristics: Brown, 1-3" long catkins. Male catkins are brown and droop. Female catkins are smaller, green, and upright.

Description: This drought and flood tolerant birch cultivar has exfoliating bark that can be almost as white as some white birches. While it is able to withstand heat and pests slightly better than the species, it is not quite as tolerant as the Dura Heat river birch. The cultivar name ‘Cully’ gives credit to Earl Cully, who found this birch growing in St. Louis, Missouri.

Links: GRIN Taxonomy - Simple Query Species Data • Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder • UF IFAS Environmental Horticulture Center

1: National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) • Accession: 2011-1049*A
2: National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) • Accession: 2011-1050*A
3: National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) • Accession: 2011-1054*A
4: National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) • Accession: 2011-1056*A
5: National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) • Accession: 2011-1057*A
6: National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) • Accession: 2011-1059*A
7: National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) • Accession: 2011-1060*A
8: National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) • Accession: 2011-1061*A

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Betula nigra 'Cully' Heritage

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