Taxon: Betula pumila L.

Summary

Genus:

Betula

Subgenus:

Betula

Section:

Apterocaryon

Family:

Betulaceae

Subfamily:

Betuloideae

Nomen number:

7140

Place of publication:

Mant. pl. 1:124. 1767

Typification:

View in Linnean Typification Project

Verified:

09/15/2015 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

21 (17 active, 13 available) in National Plant Germplasm System. (Map it)

Other conspecific taxa

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

Autonym(s)
Betula pumila L. var. pumila

Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Betula glandulifera (Regel) E. J. Butler
Betula hallii Howell
Betula pumila L. var. fastigiata hort. ex Rehder
Betula pumila L. var. glandulifera Regel

Images (1 total. Click on image for more.)

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
Ashburner, K. & H. A. McAllister. 2013. The genus Betula, a taxonomic revision of birches Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 359-363.
Boutelje, J. B. 1980. Encyclopedia of world timbers, names and technical literature
Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
Encke, F. et al. 1984. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 13. Auflage
FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
Gleason, H. A. & A. Cronquist. 1963. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada.
Govaerts, R. & D. G. Frodin. 1998. World checklist and bibliography of Fagales
Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
Krüssmann, G. 1984. Manual of cultivated broad-leaved trees and shrubs (English translation of Handbuch der Laubgehölze. 1976)
Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Rehder, A. 1949. Bibliography of cultivated trees and shrubs.
Scoggan, H. J. 1978-1979. The flora of Canada, 4 vol.

Common names

Language	Name	note	seq	Citation
English	American dwarf birch		1	Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
English	Arctic dwarf birch	as Betula nana subsp. exilis	1	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America. Note: as Betula nana subsp. exilis
English	bog birch		1	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
English	dwarf birch		1	Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
English	low birch		1	Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
English	swamp birch		1	Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
French	bouleau nain		2	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
1	Native	Northern America	Eastern Canada	Canada	New Brunswick		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Eastern Canada	Canada	Newfoundland and Labrador		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Eastern Canada	Canada	Nova Scotia		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Eastern Canada	Canada	Ontario		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Eastern Canada	Canada	Prince Edward Island		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Eastern Canada	Canada	Québec		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Illinois	n.	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Iowa	n.e.	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Kansas	n.w.	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Minnesota		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Nebraska	w.	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	North Dakota	e.	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	South Dakota	w.	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Wisconsin		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Connecticut		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Indiana	n.	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Maine		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Massachusetts		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Michigan		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	New Jersey		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	New York		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Ohio	n.	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Pennsylvania	e.	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northeastern U.S.A.	United States	Vermont		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Colorado		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Idaho	n.	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Montana	n.w.	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Oregon		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Washington		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Northwestern U.S.A.	United States	Wyoming	s.e.	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Southwestern U.S.A.	United States	California	n.	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Subarctic America	Canada	Northwest Territories		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Subarctic America	Canada	Yukon	s.e.	FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Western Canada	Canada	Alberta		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Western Canada	Canada	British Columbia		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Western Canada	Canada	Manitoba		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
1	Native	Northern America	Western Canada	Canada	Saskatchewan		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
2	Cultivated					also cult.	Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening

Native
Northern America

SUBARCTIC AMERICA: Canada [Northwest Territories, Yukon (s.e.)]
EASTERN CANADA: Canada [Québec, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador]
WESTERN CANADA: Canada [Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, British Columbia]
NORTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Connecticut, Indiana (n.), Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio (n.), Pennsylvania (e.), Vermont]
NORTH-CENTRAL U.S.A.: United States [Illinois (n.), Iowa (n.e.), Kansas (n.w.), Minnesota, Nebraska (w.), North Dakota (e.), South Dakota (w.), Wisconsin]
NORTHWESTERN U.S.A.: United States [Colorado, Idaho (n.), Montana (n.w.), Oregon, Washington, Wyoming (s.e.)]
SOUTHWESTERN U.S.A.: United States [California (n.)]

Cultivated (also cult.)

Reference(s)

FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Reference
Environmental	ornamental	Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
Environmental	ornamental	Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
Medicines	folklore	Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs

Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=7140. Accessed 14 May 2026.