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White Birch or River Birch

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From: Jim McMillan City: Springfield, IL
We like the visual aesthetics of the white birch and want to add one to our landscape. One nursery had only red birches and told us white birches do not do well. We are seeking a second opinion re the white vs red birch. If a white birch has a resonable prospect of doing well, is there a white species that you recommend for central Illinois?
	Extension Message From: Jay Hayek Extension Specialist, Forestry Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences jhayek@illinois.edu
Greetings Jim: I have to agree the recommendation of your local nursery staff -- go with the river birch (Betula nigra), sometimes referred to as red birch in the nursery and horticulture trade. White birch, or paper birch (Betula papyrifera) simply does not fair well here in central Illinois due to the bronze birch borer! For additional information regarding the bronze birch borer: http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/fidls/bbb/bbb.htm Best of luck!
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