Culture
Best grown in evenly moist, gritty, well-draining loams in full sun. Hardy in Zones 6-8.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Betula megrelica, commonly called Megrelian birch, is a small to medium-sized, deciduous, multi-stem shrub endemic to the Mingrelia region of Georgia where it is found growing on rocky slopes and open hillsides in sub-alpine, montane thickets close to the treeline. Mature plants can reach 10-13' tall with similar spread and can form dense thickets. The mature bark is dark, grey-brown in color with a metallic sheen. The foliage is ovate to elliptic in shape with doubly serrated margins and will reach 1.25-2.75" long and 0.75-2.25" wide. The foliage turns bright shades of yellow in fall. The male catkins are cylindrical in shape, held at the ends of the branches and will reach 0.75" long. The upright, oblong to cylindric, female catkins will reach 1" long and release small, winged nutlets in fall. Closely related to B. medwediewii, but differs mostly in its smaller ultimate size, smaller foliage, and smaller female catkins.
Genus name is the Latin name for birch.
Problems
No major pest or disease problems of note. Resistance to bronze birch borer is unknown at this time. Most Asian and European species of Betula are extremely susceptible to attack by bronze birch borer. However, B. megrelica is most closely related to B. lenta, a North American species known to have some resistance to this pest.
Uses
Small gardens, mixed borders, shrub borders.