Small Hackberry Celtis tenuifolia

Dwarf Hackberry is a rapidly growing, flowering, deciduous tree with a narrow crown that may grow 20 to 30 feet tall. It is native, but fairly rare, to the southeastern United States and sometimes found on dry rocky or gravelly soils in foothills and bluffs, on slopes and along streams in open woods. The broad leaves are alternate with some leaves completely untoothed, while other leaves on the same plant may be toothed halfway to the asymmetrical base. The bark is gray and smooth with small warts. In spring, small, stalked, light green flowers mature. The small tree produces an orange-red to dark purple drupe that matures in the fall. The fruit is edible and sweet to the taste.

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, Dwarf Hackberry are very long-lived. The tree suckers, but it primarily naturalizes by seed dispersal. It is not considered invasive in the United States. The genus name, celtis, is the Greek word for the hackberry tree. The species name, tenuifolia, is Latin for thin leaf, although the leaves actually vary in thickness.

While it tolerates partial shade and poor soil, it does not tolerate full shade and 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.

This plants serves as a host to several butterflies, including American snout (Libytheana carinenta), Mourning cloak (Nymphalis antiopa), Hackberry Emperor (Asterocampa celtis), Tawny emperor (Asterocampa clyton), and Question mark (Polygonia interrogationis).

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:

No known diseases or insect pests.