Birch. Betula nigra is what you're looking for, IIRC. Resistant to birch borer, and pretty disease free. Forestfarm sells a variety called 'Dura Heat' that is supposed to be better for hotter climes like ours, but that's all I know about that. I looked into them a long time ago. Once I do a little more clearing, there may be one (or more) of these in my future.

Yes, you are probably talking about Betula nigra (River Birch). My new place has a couple of them growing in the back yard in full sun...though I suspect they would not mind a little shade and more moisture. I am pretty sure they do well in the DC area.

My previous place had a Betula pendula (European Birch) but it has been battling leaf miner for years. Both Betula pendula and Betula papyrifera are whiter than Betula nigra, but both are susceptible to leaf miners and bronze birch borers. My mother in Michigan has a beautiful Betula pendula that must be 60' tall...they just don't seem to care much for the heat and humidity of Virginia.

- Brent

BTW, if you're looking for something with interesting bark, look into Stewartia koreana. There are some wonderfully enabling pictures on the Perennials forum (David's thread about new beginnings). Interesting small tree with white flowers in early summer, terrific fall colors, and an exfoliating bark, which apparently gets started when young.

Gingko Gardens in DC (11th st just north of M, near the Washington Navy Yard) has several of these for reasonable prices, plus another species (S. Rostrata) that is supposed to have better flowers and seedpods but less interesting bark.

Lynn

There are some stunning betula nigra tree clumps in the woods near where I live. They seem to handle NoVA's heat and humidity just fine and also don't seem to have to have full sun.

Christine, the river birch is fabulous after about 5 years. The bark does not look interesting in the beginning, but eventually has a peeling habit, with pink-orange on the inside bark and bright white on the outside. Totally hardy and heat resistant where I live, while European Birches don't do much here (I have one that is subsisting, and then I have a seedling from that one, and that looks fine so far -- but I don't have high hopes for the future). Did you see my posts re Vlad and Spring Swap?

Well, thanks for all this info!!

Rich and I got frisky and went to the back of our property. (No, no need to cover your eyes). We dug up 3 of the birch and 5 of the beech.

The birch are extremely tall, yet thin (4 and 6'' around). They're probably 20 to 25'. Because they were in the woods, they grew straight and tall. They're GORGEOUS.

Now the beeches are smaller, and really iffy about survival. They've almost got a tap root going on, so I am hesitant about them. I love their bark, though, and their huge, inconvenient roots that develop in the mature tree.

The birches are already peeling and just gorgous. Now I just have to find out what to do about the boreres, because they don't have them ... yet.

No, Henrietta, I haven't seen your posts yet. I'm just reading, but will. :)

Christine