American Hackberry Celtis occidentalis
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- SEL-tis ock-sih-den-TAH-liss
- Description
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Hackberry is a deciduous tree native to North Carolina that commonly grows to 40 to 60 feet in height and 1 to 2 feet in diameter, but on the best sites, may reach a height of 130 feet and a diameter of 4 feet or more. It has a straight central trunk and an ovoid crown with a cylindrical shape once mature. It can be sparsely found throughout the state, though not in the high mountains. It is most abundant and reaches its maximum size on the rich alluvial lands in the lower part of the state, but it can survive and grow in most types of soil from the poorest to the richest.
It is best grown in moist, organically rich, well-drained soils in full sun and can be transplanted easily. It will tolerate part shade, wind, and many urban pollutants, but does not do well with maritime exposure. The wood is heavy, rather soft and weak. It decays quickly when exposed to moisture. The branches can tend to droop. These trees can live 150 to 200 years.
This tree makes a perfect addition near your butterfly garden, as it is a host plant for the larvae of several butterflies, including the American snout (Libytheana carinenta), Mourning cloak (Nymphalis antiopa), Hackberry emperor (Asterocampa celtis), Tawny emperor (Asterocampa clyton), and the Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis).
Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: Watch for Asian wooly hackberry aphid, lacebugs, and scale. Witches’ broom (creating dwarfed, dense, contorted twig clusters at the branch ends) is somewhat common; while it does little harm to the tree but can be quite unsightly. Hackberry nipple gall also does not hurt the tree but can disfigure the leaves. Powdery mildew, leaf spot and root rot may occur. Seeds can pose clean up problems if trees are sited near sidewalks or patios.
VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.
- Profile Video:
- 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:
- Celtus
- Species:
- occidentalis
- Family:
- Ulmaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- This plant was used for food, fuel and medicinal purposes by Native Americans. Today, Hackberry wood is used for furniture, in baskets and crates, and in some athletic equipment.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Central & E. Canada to N. & E. U.S.A
- Wildlife Value:
- This plant supports Hackberry Emperor (Asterocampa celtis) and Question Mark Butterfly (Polygonia interrogationis) larvae. 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. Also a host plant for the American Snout, Mourning Cloak and Tawny Emperor butterflies. The fruits provide food source for many birds and small mammals. It also provides cover and nesting for birds. Cover is also provided for game birds, rabbits, and deer by the young stands.
- Play Value:
- Attracts Pollinators
- Edible fruit
- Wildlife Cover/Habitat
- Wildlife Food Source
- Wildlife Nesting
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Moderately deer resistant and immune to Dutch Elm disease.
- Edibility:
- Fleshy parts of the fruit are edible and somewhat sweet. Can be eaten raw or used for making jellies and preserves.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 40 ft. 0 in. - 100 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 40 ft. 0 in. - 60 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Native Plant
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Arching
- Ascending
- Broad
- Pyramidal
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Medium
- Texture:
- Coarse
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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:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 24-60 feet
- more than 60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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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. Birds consume the fruits and disperse the seeds. The globular fruit is borne singly on stems 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch long. It ripens in September, but often remains on the tree through the winter.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Insignificant
- Orange
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Petals:
- Colored Sepals
- 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. Regardless of type, flowers are about ¼ inch across and predominately yellowish green; each flower has 4 to 5 oblong sepals connected together at the base. Male flowers also have 4 to 5 stamens with yellowish brown anthers, while female flowers have a green superior ovary that is ovoid in shape and tapers into 2 beaks. Originating from these beaks, is a pair of large brownish stigmata. Individual perfect flowers have both a superior ovary with a pair of stigmata and 4-5 stamens.
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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
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- The leaves are oval to lance-shaped, resembling those of an elm but more pointed. Glossy to dull green leaves (2 to 5 inches long) have mostly uneven leaf bases and are coarsely toothed from midleaf to tip. Fall color is an undistinguished yellow.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Brown
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Ridges
- Bark Description:
- Harkberry bark is greyish and generally smooth with characteristic corky warts or ridges. In some instances, the bark is smooth enough on the limbs to resemble that of a beech tree.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Form:
- Zig Zags
- Stem Lenticels:
- Conspicuous
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Twigs are green to dark reddish gray and smooth. Young twigs are usually glabrous, but sometimes they are pubescent. Both twigs and young branches are covered with small white lenticels.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Recreational Play Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Children's Garden
- Native Garden
- Nighttime Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Shade Garden
- Design Feature:
- Shade Tree
- Street Tree
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Pollution
- Poor Soil
- Wet Soil
- Wind
- Problems:
- Messy
