Best grown in moist, acidic, sandy or rocky, well-drained soil in afternoon shade to protect from excessive summer heat. Foliage color improves with some sun. Unlike most birches, yellow birch are very slow-growing with a lifespan of about 150 years (some have lived 300 years or more). Hot dry weather during the summer can impair the health of this tree and it is especially sensitive to heat, drought, and soil compaction. Keep the tree consistently watered and mulched to keep the root zones cool and moist during the heat of summer. This variety of birch is said to be less susceptible to the bronze birch borer or leaf miner than other birches.
A northeastern US native. Larval host to many moths and butterflies, the seeds are also a valued food source to small mammals and songbirds.