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Betula populifolia

Fire Birch · Gray Birch · White Birch

Family BetulaceaeGenus Betula

A multi-stemmed birch with chalk-white trunks and dark markings, its bare branches against a deep blue sky
The whole plantNicholas A. Tonelli from Northeast Pennsylvania, USACC BY 2.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

The plant

Habit
treePlants of the World Online
Habit
Perennial, TreePLANTS Database
Height
25.0 ft7.6 mPLANTS Database
Flower
BrownPLANTS Database
Blooms
Mid SpringPLANTS Database
Native range
Canada, lower 48 statesPLANTS Database

Growing conditions

Sun
Shade tolerance: MediumPLANTS Database
Soil
Adapted to coarse, medium, fine textured soilsPLANTS Database
Soil pH
3.5-6.5PLANTS Database
Moisture
Moisture use: LowPLANTS Database
Watering
Drought tolerance: MediumPLANTS Database

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; PLANTS Database — USDA NRCS.

Worth knowing

This source reports three treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around February 22, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 42 days to germinate.

11% germination in 14–42 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Betula p. 107Public domain
Show the original text
Betula (Betulaceae). B. populifolia germ. 70L(11% in 2-6 w), 70D GA-3(8%), 70D(none), 40- 70L(1 1% in 4-10 d), and 40-70D(4% in 4-17 d). Results were similar for seed DS 6 m at 70. Treatment with GA-3 or outdoor conditions gave the same 10-15% germ.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Betula p. 107. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Gibberellic acid soak

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

No stated waiting before sowing. Germination time not stated; 21 days assumed.

8% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Betula p. 107Public domain
Show the original text
Betula (Betulaceae). B. populifolia germ. 70L(11% in 2-6 w), 70D GA-3(8%), 70D(none), 40- 70L(1 1% in 4-10 d), and 40-70D(4% in 4-17 d). Results were similar for seed DS 6 m at 70. Treatment with GA-3 or outdoor conditions gave the same 10-15% germ.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Betula p. 107. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around December 19, 2026 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 3 months from start to step 2. Germination happens during step 2, in 17 days.

4% germination in 4–17 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Betula p. 107Public domain
Show the original text
Betula (Betulaceae). B. populifolia germ. 70L(11% in 2-6 w), 70D GA-3(8%), 70D(none), 40- 70L(1 1% in 4-10 d), and 40-70D(4% in 4-17 d). Results were similar for seed DS 6 m at 70. Treatment with GA-3 or outdoor conditions gave the same 10-15% germ.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Betula p. 107. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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