According to The Wisconsin Gardener, you should be careful if you’re planning on adding birch to your yard this spring. One variety–the European weeping birch–is actually known as “the suicide tree” because it releases a chemical that attracts an invasive species known as the Bronze Birch Borer.
Instead, you might think about planting river birch, which is a bit more resistant. You can learn more about the river birch here.
Any birch tree that receives proper care is going to be more resistant to the Bronze Birch Borer as well, because this insect likes to attack trees that are in a weakened state. You can use this handy guide to learn more about caring for your birch trees.
You can learn more about the bronze birch borer here. It is similar to the emerald ash borer, though they attack different kinds of trees.
There are a lot of other great trees for Wisconsin yards if you don’t want to deal with the touchiness of birch trees. Arborvitae is one good choice, especially if you’re trying to use trees to reduce road noise. It’s an evergreen, so it will continue to look nice all year. If you want fruit trees, try a hawthorn or red plum trees. Maple trees are also a nice choice.
The Department of Natural Resources has a much more comprehensive list of plants, vines, shrubs, and trees that make for some great planting. You can learn more here.
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