Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)
Identifying Features
Plant Family: Cannabaceae
Native Range: Central and Northeastern North America
Leaf: deciduous, alternate, simple, toothed margins and asymmetrical leaf bases
Twig and Bud: new twigs may be hairy and green to dark reddish-gray with lenticels, terminal buds are angled to one side
Flower, Fruit and Seed: fruit is a round, berry-like drupe, green to dark maroon, with single seed inside
Bark: bark is light gray and warty with corky ridges
Shape and Mature Height: straight central trunk, 40-80 feet tall
Garden Value and Considerations
Grows best in moist, well-drained, rich soil, but tolerates a variety of soil conditions. Hackberry leaves are often marked with hackberry nipple galls. The nipple-like swelling on the leaves house larval insects. Other than affecting the look of the leaves they cause no problems for the tree.
Notes
Hackberry fruits are eaten by birds and other wildlife. Hackberry is a host plant for several caterpillars, including those of the American snout, hackberry emperor, question mark and mourning cloak butterflies.
