Heritage River Birch                BET-u-la NI-gra

• Broadleaf deciduous tree, vigorous.  Leaves are larger and greener than the species type, may develop excellent yellow color in fall.  The bark exfoliates on young trees and opens to off-white and salmon-white on young stems.
• Sun.  Best adapted to moist, acid soils, will survive dry soils.
• Hardy to USDA Zone 4      Discovered by Earl Cully of Jacksonville, Illinois in a St. Louis suburb in the 1970s and introduced in 1979.  The cultivar name is ‘Cully’ and the trademark name, which is the one used in commerce, is Heritage.  The plant is patented, Plant Patent 4409 (April 24, 1979).
• Considered superior to seedlings of B. nigra.  An improved form (Improved HeritageÔ) is also available.