Betula nana, the dwarf birch, is a species of birch in the family Betulaceae, found mainly in the tundra of the Arctic region. Betula nana is native to areas with very cold winters and often does not do well in milder zones.
Dwarf Birch is a deciduous, low and spreading shrub. Native to tundra landscapes, it is cold-hardy. Generally, this plant is called Betula nana though other hybrids (below) are also commonly called Dwarf Birch. Part of the Betulaceae family, it is related to more than 150 species of trees and shrubs. The family contains all birch varieties and other ornamentals such as timber and nut trees of the Northern Hemisphere. Half-inch leaves of Dwarf Birch are thick and leathery upon rather hairy twigs. Flowering in May, the male catkins can be as long as a full inch, while female catkins are smaller. Each flower is either male or female, while both sexes can grow on the same plant. Seeds ripen in July, producing narrow-winged seeded fruits, allowing pollination by the wind.
