I adore Birch trees, whether a white-barked species or those that don't have white bark, as Yellow & Sweet & River Birch. Growing up in the Chicago, IL area, I noticed that the once common European White Birch (Betula pendula) that has tight white bark, triangular leaves, and a slightly pendulous habit would usually live about 20 years after planting before being killed by the borer that attacked these trees that were stressed by hot, dry conditions. The Paper birch with peeling bark, larger and more rounded leaves would usually live about 30 years before being killed. However, there were a few Paper Birch that were in a good cool siting with some shade and really good moist soil and they were maybe 50 to 60 years old. This has also been true in the Philadelphia area of se Pennsylvania for both species. The 'Whitespire' Gray Birch was introduced in the 1990's and like its mother species, it is resistant to the borer as this species is more heat and drought tolerant than other white-barked birches. However, the Gray Birch usually lives maybe 50 years in nature while other white birches go for up to 90 or 100 years in the North Woods. 'Whitespire' is a more regular growing, better looking selection. The Himalayan White-barked Birch (Betula utilis jacquemontii) was also introduced as being more heat tolerant and resistant to the borer, but it is not, as I have seen younger trees killed by the borer like the European species. If one really likes the Paper Birch, that is happiest in USDA Zones 2 to 4 in the North, to plant in USDA Zones 5 or 6 where the summer gets hot and dry, it does help to site the tree in a cooler location with afternoon shade and it helps to irrigate them once a week deeply during a drought. Furthermore, one can have a dying older birch and yet place a young plant next to the old one to replace it, as the borer does not attack vigorous young trees.
