A yard with beautiful plants and trees simply make spending time outside a lot more enjoyable. While the overall appearance of the tree is one of the factors that may go into deciding what type of tree to choose for your yard, you also have to consider the amount of cleanup and maintenance required.
River birch trees are admired for their beauty and papery bark, but are these trees messy? Let’s take a closer look.
What Are River Birch Trees?
These birch trees are a type of deciduous tree that is native to North America. They get their name from the fact that they often grow near rivers and streams. These trees can reach up to 60 feet tall and have a spread of about 40 feet.
They have dark brown bark that is covered in small scales, and their leaves are triangular shaped and glossy green in color. It prefers at least 4 hours of full sunlight and thrives well in different types of soil.
These trees are typically very large and full, making them a perfect choice for providing shade on hot summer days. They also have a lovely peeling bark that can add interest and texture to your yard. The peeling bark is one of the most distinguishing features of the river birch tree.
Are River Birch Trees Messy?
River Birch trees are admired for their beauty but they drop a lot of leaves, sticks, and seed pods, which can quickly turn your once-pristine space into a disaster zone. Their shedding bark and leaves can quickly clutter up a yard. Additionally, their roots have a tendency to grow surface roots that can disrupt lawns and gardens.
As a result, they are best suited for large yards where they can be allowed to spread out and where their natural shedding will not be as noticeable. For those who do not mind a little extra cleanup, these trees can still be enjoyed in smaller spaces. If you have river birches surrounding your house, you’ll likely find yourself spending more time cleaning up after them than you would with other types of trees.
Why Are They Messy?
These birches are known for their “weeping” habit, which means that they shed their leaves, sticks, and seed pods more frequently than other types of trees.
Constantly Peeling Bark
The bark is one of the most distinguishing features of the river birch, but it is also one of the reasons why these trees are so messy. It peels away from the tree in thin layers, which can quickly clutter up a yard or garden.
The bark is constantly shedding and peeling because it exfoliates allowing the tree to photosynthesize better. Surprisingly, photosynthesis happens in the tree’s bark and not just its leaves. This process also helps the tree to get rid of any unwanted pests and allows its metabolic rate to increase.
Leaves All Over
Not only do they drop their leaves, but they also drop their flower buds and small sticks. In the fall, you can expect an abundance of leaves to cover your yard. And in the springtime, you’ll be raking up flower buds.
Large Quantities of Seeds
These trees produce a lot of seeds that drop and shed during the late spring to early fall. More seeds mean more mess to deal with.
Wind
If you live in an area with a lot of wind, you can expect even more leaves and sticks to be blown into your yard because these trees are not very wind-resistant.
How to Deal With It
The best way to deal with the mess from river birches is to have a plan in place before you plant them. If you really want to have this tree in your yard, you have to accept that they are going to create some extra work for you.
Raking
You can start by raking up leaves and sticks as soon as they fall. This will help to keep your yard looking neat and tidy and will also prevent them from being blown around by the wind.
Install a Barrier
Another way to deal with the mess is to install a barrier around the tree. This can be done by putting up a fence or installing some type of netting. This will help to catch any leaves or sticks that fall from the tree and prevent them from blowing into your yard.
Hire a Cleanup Service
Although it may cost you a bit of money, hiring a cleanup service to come and clean up your yard regularly saves you time. It is the best way to deal with all the fallen branches and leaves from your precious tree. Believe us when we tell you that these trees make more mess than any other type of tree!
Regular Pruning
Aside from the regular cleanup, you’ll also need to prune your river birches on a regular basis. This will help to keep them from getting too big and will also help to prevent them from shedding as much.
Are River Birch Trees Messy: Final Thoughts
Though they are beautiful, River Birch Trees are messy and require more upkeep than other types of trees. These birches can create a lot of mess because of their shedding leaves, sticks, seeds, and peeling bark.
So, if you are considering planting one in your yard, it is important to know what you are getting into and accept the fact that you will have to do some extra work to keep your yard looking neat and tidy.