The Facts Height: 30′ – 40′ Spread: 25′ – 35′ Sun: Full Sun to Part Shade Water: Medium to Wet Soil: Well-Drained Growth Rate: Fast Betula nigra, commonly called river birch, is a vigorous, fast-growing, medium-sized, Missouri native deciduous tree which occurs on floodplains, swampy bottomlands and along streams throughout the state. In cultivation, it can be trained as either a single trunk or multi-trunked tree. As a single trunk tree, it develops a