Southern Hackberry Celtis laevigata
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- SEL-tis lee-vih-GAY-tuh
- Description
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Sugarberry is a deciduous tree that may grow 70 to 80 feet tall. The leaves are alternate, exhibiting a smooth margin in old trees and singly toothed margin in juvenile trees. The bark is smooth between raised, corky warts. Very small (1/8-inch), greenish-white flowers mature in the spring. The tree produces a dull orange fruit which matures in fall and is sweet to the taste.
Trunk diameter ranges from 1-3’ (less frequently to 4’). The mature gray bark develops a warty texture. Sugarberry has good resistance to witches’ broom (dwarfed, dense, contorted twig clusters at the branch ends). This tree is moderately salt tolerant.
Sugarberry does best in natural areas. It has unusual warty bark and edible fruits.
Fire Risk: This plant has a low flammability rating.
Seasons of Interest:
Bloom: Spring Fruit/Seed/Nut: Fruit (drupe)
Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: Hackberry nipple gall is common and while it disfigures the leaves it does not hurt these trees. Powdery mildew and leaf spot may occur.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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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:
- MD west to KS northeast to Washington south through CA TX and FL
- Fire Risk Rating:
- low flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- The Sugarberry tree is a host plant for the American Snout, Mourning Cloak, Question Mark, Hackberry Emperor and Tawny Emperor butterflies. Many bird species and small mammals eat the fruit.
- Play Value:
- Buffer
- Edible fruit
- Screening
- Shade
- Wildlife Food Source
- Wildlife Nesting
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Fire in landscape. Deer and witches' broom.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 70 ft. 0 in. - 80 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 5 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 8 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Native Plant
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Fine
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- 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:
- High Organic Matter
- 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:
- 5b, 5a, 6a, 6b, 7b, 7a, 8b, 8a, 9b, 9a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Orange
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Drupe
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Female flowers give way to an often abundant fruit crop of round fleshy berry-like drupes maturing to deep purple. Each drupe has one round brown seed within. Fruits are attractive to a variety of wildlife. Birds consume the fruits and disperse the seeds. 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 Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Recreational Play Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Children's Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Shade Tree
- Street Tree
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Fire
- Salt
- Problems:
- Messy
