River birch is a fast-growing, narrow, graceful tree with beautiful peeling bark. We are just at the northern end of its native range, so it is rarely found in the wild here, but it grows very well under cultivation and is more often used in Lower Hudson Valley home landscapes than locally common species of birch are. Although its native habitat is by the water, it can handle average moisture. River birch may reach a full size of 80' tall and 40' wide.
Photo credits: Kurt Stuber, Famartin, Chris Light