Betula nigra Little King

Betula nigra ‘Little King’, marketed as Fox Valley® river birch, is a compact, multi-stemmed selection of the native river birch chosen for its smaller size and improved resistance to bronze birch borer. It features attractive exfoliating bark in shades of cinnamon and cream, along with glossy green foliage that turns yellow in fall. This cultivar thrives in full sun to partial shade and prefers consistently moist soil, making it well suited to rain gardens and low areas. Hardy in USDA Zones 4–9, it typically reaches 8–10 feet tall and wide, offering all the character of river birch on a garden-friendly scale.