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River Birch Tree Problems
River Birch Tree Problems. The river birch (Betula nigra) has attractive characteristics such as feathering orange bark and solid foliage. This birch, which grows throughout much of the southern half of the eastern United States, suffers from relatively few problems compared to other birches.
The river birch (Betula nigra) has attractive characteristics such as feathering orange bark and solid foliage. This birch, which grows throughout much of the southern half of the eastern United States, suffers from relatively few problems compared to other birches.
Common Problems
Among the approximately 15 common problems faced by an ornamental river birch or one in the wild are heat stress, nutrient deficiencies, iron chlorosis and insect pests known as aphids, according to the Missouri Botanical Garden. River birches on rare occasions will develop ailments, including verticillium wilt and leaf spot diseases.
Environmental Stresses
River birches react to environmental stresses problems such as heat stress. Extreme drought causes leaves to drop, and high alkaline levels in the soil cause leaves to turn yellow, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, before dropping off.
Natural Stressors
Large infestations of aphids will suck the fluids and juices from the leaves and the stems of a river birch. In the wild, where river birches typically grow close to waterways, large ice floes breaking away during winter thaws and coming downstream have the ability to seriously damage and even destroy stands of river birches.
