Chickadee Birch (Betula papyrifera ‘Chickadee’)

Chickadee Birch (Betula papyrifera ‘Chickadee’) is a compact ornamental birch tree prized for its bright white peeling bark, graceful branching structure, and improved resistance to bronze birch borer. This hardy selection offers the classic beauty of native paper birch in a more manageable size, making it ideal for smaller landscapes, front yards, and decorative garden plantings.

The crisp white bark becomes increasingly ornamental as the tree matures, providing year-round visual interest against the dark green summer foliage. In autumn, the leaves turn soft golden-yellow before dropping, adding seasonal colour to the landscape. Its naturally upright oval growth habit creates an elegant canopy while maintaining a refined appearance suitable for residential landscapes and feature plantings.

In Alberta, Chickadee Birch performs best in full sun to partial shade with fertile, moisture-retentive, well-drained soil. It appreciates regular watering during hot dry Prairie summers, especially while young, and benefits from mulching around the root zone to help conserve moisture and protect shallow roots.