Is the Birch Tree Deciduous?

All trees of the birch family (Betula) native to North America are deciduous, which means they shed their leaves annually. Many are desirable landscaping plants, with the color of their autumn leaves one of their major assets.

Fall Color

• Nearly all birches provide some autumn leaf color, although some are more vivid than others. Long before the leaves finally fall off the trees they change colors. The leaves of the yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis), sweet birch (Betula lenta) and paper birch (betula papyrifera) turn to bright, rich shades of yellow.

Winter Interest

• Even though birch trees lose their foliage before the arrival of winter, they retain ornamental interest. Species such as the paper birch and the river birch (Betula nigra) have colorful, exfoliating bark that garners attention. Mature paper birches feature white peeling bark, while the bark of the river birch is a combination of tan, pink, salmon and red-brown.

Time Frame

• Birch leaves are among the first to change colors as fall arrives, but some species will hold onto to their leaves much longer than others. One example is a nonnative birch used as an ornamental---the European white birch (Betula pendula). It retains its leaves until late autumn, according to the University of Connecticut Plant Database.