Betula utilis subsp. albosinensis
Common name: 
Chinese Paper Birch,
Chinese Red Birch
Pronunciation: 
BET-u-la EW-til-is al-bo-si-NEN-sis
Family: 
Betulaceae
Genus: 
Betula
Synonyms: 
Betula albosinensis
Type: 
Broadleaf
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon: 
No
  • Deciduous tree, 40-60(80) ft [12-18(24) m], rounded habit.  Leaves alternate, simple, ovate to ovate-oblong, 5-7.5 cm long, about 3 cm wide, margin doubly serrate or occasionally even slightly lobed, base rounded or subcordate, apex acuminate, dark green above, paler and glandular below, 10-14 vein pairs; petiole 7-20 mm long; foliage yellow in fall.  Bark rich orange-red or orange-brown, peels off in very thin sheets, under layer coated with a white bloom.
  • Sun to part shade, best in moist well drained soil.
  • Hardy to USDA Zone 5    
  • albosinensis: white, of China
  • Taxonomy: According to the World Flora Online, Betula albosinensis is considered a subspecies of Betula utilis, (Betula utilis subsp. albosinensis).  Betula utilis is widely spread across Temperate Asia: from North-Central, South-Central, and Southeast Cihina, Inner Mongolia, Tibet, Kazakhstan, Kirgizistan, Tadzhikistan, Uzbekistan, western Afghanistan and into Tropiocal Asia: the Indian Subcontinent, Himalaya, Nepal, Pakistan. It is a very polymorphic species as regards the shape and the number of veins of the leaf, size of the male catkins and the nature of the fruiting scale, which gradually change from the Western to the Eastern limit of its distribution range. Some consider this to be an aggregate species. 
  •  A botanical variety once designatead as Betula albosinensis var. septentrionalis (Northern Chinese Red Birch), is now considered a synonym of Betula utilis subsp. albosinensis. Although this version is normally taller than the "usual" Betula albosinensis, to 115 ft (30 m), has orange-brown to yellow-orange or orange-gray bark persisting on the trunk, young shoots are glandular, and leaves obovate to oblong-ovate, 5-9 cm long, the underside has silky pubescence on veins and axillary pubescence (Krüssmann, 1976). Dirr (1998) indicates that Chinese Paper Birch are encountered infrequently in the U.S. but are common in European gardens.This latter point is also suggested by the number of selections listed by Royal Horticulture Society, for example:
    • Betula albosinensis 'Bowling Green', 'China Ruby', 'Chinese Garden', 'K. Ashburner', 'Kansu', 'Ness' ('Fascination' and 'Hergest" are listed by others).
    • Betula albosinensis var. septentrionalis: 'Purdom'

 

Click image to enlarge
  • plant habit

    plant habit

  • leaves

    leaves

  • trunk, bark (by Ed Jensen)

    trunk, bark (by Ed Jensen)