Celtis laevigata
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- SEL-tis lee-vih-GAY-tuh
- Description
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Sugarberry is a deciduous tree native to North America and is found in the coastal and eastern Piedmont areas of NC often along stream banks. It can grow 50-70 feet tall with a somewhat narrower spread. It is fast growing with a rounded vase crown and makes a good shade tree as it is resistant to urban pollution. The fruits mature to red or purple and are eaten by many birds and mammals. In zones 8 and under, it can have attractive yellow fall color. The unusual warty bark and fruits provide some winter interest.
The tree prefers a sandy to clay loam that is moist and well-drained in full sun to partial shade. It will tolerate salt, acid to mildly alkaline pHs, periodic flooding and drought once established. It is tolerant of soil compaction making it useful in parking lot islands and medians in addition to using as a shade tree for your home or naturalized area.
Celtis laevigata can be pruned and kept at shrub size by cutting them to the ground every 2-3 years. It is fairly resistant to witches' broom.
In the butterfly garden, it is a food source for a variety of butterfly larvae including American snout (Libytheana carinenta), Mourning cloak (Nymphalis antiopa), Hackberry emperor (Asterocampa celtis), Tawny emperor (Asterocampa clyton) and Question mark (Polygonia interrogationis). It also is a host plant for moth larvae such as Ruddy dagger (Acronicta rubricoma), Thin-lined owlet (Isogona tenuis), and Small heterocampa (Rifargia subrotata).
Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: Watch for Asian wooly hackberry aphid and scale. hackberry nipple gall is common and while it disfigures the leaves it does not hurt these trees. Powdery mildew and leaf spot may occur. Scales of various types may be found on Hackberry. These may be managed with horticultural oil sprays.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Celtis
- Species:
- laevigata
- Family:
- Cannabaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Native Americans were known to have used this tree for food, medicines, tools, and fuel. The Houma used a concentrate made from the bark to treat sore throats and decoction make from the bark ground up shells to treat venereal diseases, the berries were consumed by Native Americans, the Navajo boiled leaves and branches to make dark brown and red dye for wool
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Central & SE. U.S.A. to Mexico, Bermuda
- Distribution:
- AL , AR , AZ , CA , CO , DC , FL , GA , ID , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MD , MO , MS , NC , NM , NV , OK , OR , SC , TN , TX , UT , VA , WA , WV , WY
- Fire Risk Rating:
- low flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- This is a larval host plant for several butterflies including American Snout (Libytheana carinenta), Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa), Hackberry Emperor (Asterocampa celtis), and Tawny Emperor (Asterocampa clyton) and Question Mark Butterfly (Polygonia interrogationis). Questionmark butterflies have an interesting life cycles: overwintered adult Question Mark butterflies lay eggs from spring until the end of May. These will appear as summer adults from May-September, laying eggs that then develop into the winter adult form. The winter adults appear in late August and shelter for the winter starting the cycle all over again. Adult Question Mark butterflies feed on rotting fruit, tree sap, dung, and carrion only visiting flowers for feeding when absolutely necessary. Many bird species and small mammals eat the fruit.
- Play Value:
- Buffer
- Edible fruit
- Screening
- Shade
- Wildlife Food Source
- Wildlife Nesting
- Dimensions:
- Height: 50 ft. 0 in. - 70 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 30 ft. 0 in. - 60 ft. 8 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Rounded
- Vase
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasional Flooding
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 24-60 feet
- more than 60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Orange
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Drupe
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Drupes mature to deep purple with one round brown seed within. Fleshy parts of the fruit are edible and sweet. Displays from August to October.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Insignificant, mostly monoecious, greenish flowers appear in spring (April–May), with male flowers in clusters and female flowers solitary.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Rough
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Oblong
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The leaves are ovate to oblong-lanceolate, rough-textured, untoothed, glossy to dull green leaves (2-4” long) have mostly uneven leaf bases. They have an undistinguished yellow fall color.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Brown
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Smooth
- Bark Description:
- The bark is smooth between raised, corky warts.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Brown to green thin twigs
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Recreational Play Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Children's Garden
- Native Garden
- Nighttime Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Shade Tree
- Street Tree
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Compaction
- Deer
- Fire
- Poor Soil
- Salt
- Urban Conditions
- Wind
- Problems:
- Messy
