Chinese Hackberry Celtis sinensis
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- SEL-tis sy-NEN-sis
- Description
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Chinese Hackberry is a rapidly growing, flowering, deciduous tree in the hemp family reaching 40 to 50 feet high and wide at maturity with a round, spreading crown. In its native Asia, it can be found on the lowland and hills of Japan and the roadsides and slopes of China. These trees thrive in hot summers and sunlight; lack of sun can cause the wood to not fully ripen making them subject to die-back in winter. Under optimum conditions, Chinese Hackberry are very long-lived. The tree suckers, but it primarily naturalizes by seed dispersal. It can be invasive in some environments and has been declared a noxious weed in parts of South Africa and Australia. It is not considered invasive in the United States. The species name is Greek for Chinese.
While it tolerates partial shade and poor soil, it prefers to be grown in full sun in moist, well-drained soil that is high in organic material. It will self-seed easily or you can propagate it through stem cuttings. This tough plant tolerates drought, wind, urban conditions, dry, wet, and poor soils.
Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:
Witches’ broom (dwarfed, dense, contorted twig clusters at the branch ends) is common in some areas.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
- 'Green Cascade'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
- 'Green Cascade'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Celtis
- Species:
- sinensis
- Family:
- Cannabaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- East Asia, China, Japan, and Korea
- Distribution:
- Australia
- 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.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 60 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 15 ft. 0 in. - 50 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Semi-evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Broad
- Rounded
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- 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:
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Occasionally Wet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7a, 7b, 8b, 8a, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11b, 11a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Green
- Orange
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Type:
- Drupe
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Female flowers are followed by globose drupes to 1/3 of an inch long) which have stalks about the same length as the leaf stalks. Immature fruits are green, but mature to orange before finally turning reddish-brown in fall.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Description:
- Inconspicuous monoecious greenish flowers bloom from the leaf axils and stem bases from March to May.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Semi-evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Ovate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Pointed, round-toothed green leaves (2 to 5 inches long) are dark and glossy above but paler and somewhat hairy beneath with rounded to obliquely truncate bases. Leaves turn yellow in fall. Like other hackberries, the leaves have three prominent veins. The bases are a little less uneven than native species.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Brown
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Smooth
- Bark Description:
- Mature trees have smooth gray to gray-brown bark.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Nighttime Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Poor Soil
- Wind
