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Home , Asterocampa celtis, Celtis, Celtis occidentalis

6/16/2021 occidentalis (American Hackberry, Beaverwood, Common Hackberry, False , Hackberry, Nettle , Northern Hackberry) | Extension Gardener Toolbox

Celtis occidentalis

Common Name(s): American Hackberry; Beaverwood; Common Hackberry; False Elm; Hackberry; Nettle Tree; Northern Hackberry

Phonetic Spelling SEL-tis ock-sih-den-TAH-liss Description , or Hackberry, is a tree, native to North Carolina, that commonly grows to 30 to 40 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 is heavy, rather soft and weak. It decays quickly when exposed to moisture. The branches can tend to droop. These can live 150 to 200 years.

Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: 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 . Powdery mildew, spot and root rot may occur. Watch for lacebugs and scale. Seeds can pose clean up problems if trees are sited near sidewalks or patios.

Cultivars / Varieties:

Leaves R. A. Nonenmacher CC BY-SA 4.0

Form CC0 https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/celtis-occidentalis/ 1/6 6/16/2021 Celtis occidentalis (American Hackberry, Beaverwood, Common Hackberry, False Elm, Hackberry, Nettle Tree, Northern Hackberry) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Fruit Yuriy Kvach CC BY-SA 4.0

Bumpy trunk with Poison Ivy Vine winding around it. Jimmy Smith CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Insignificant flowers Dan Mullen CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/celtis-occidentalis/ 2/6 6/16/2021 Celtis occidentalis (American Hackberry, Beaverwood, Common Hackberry, False Elm, Hackberry, Nettle Tree, Northern Hackberry) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Celtis occidentalis Jim Robbins CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Celtis occidentalis Bark Jim Robbins CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Celtis occidentalis Fall Color Jim Robbins CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/celtis-occidentalis/ 3/6 6/16/2021 Celtis occidentalis (American Hackberry, Beaverwood, Common Hackberry, False Elm, Hackberry, Nettle Tree, Northern Hackberry) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Attributes: Moderately deer resistant and Cultural Conditions: immune to Dutch Elm disease. : Light: Edibility: Celtus Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no Fleshy parts of the are edible direct sunlight) : and somewhat sweet. Can be eaten occidentalis raw or used for making jellies and Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) : preserves. Dimensions: Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours) Uses (Ethnobotany): Height: 40 ft. 0 in. - 100 ft. 0 in. This plant was used for food, fuel Width: 40 ft. 0 in. - 60 ft. 0 in. Soil Texture: and medicinal purposes by Native Clay Americans. Today, Hackberry wood is High Organic Matter used for furniture, in baskets and Whole Plant Traits: crates, and in some athletic Loam (Silt) Plant Type: equipment. Sand Edible Life Cycle: Shallow Rocky Native Plant Woody Soil pH: Shrub Recommended Propagation Strategy: Acid (<6.0) Seed Tree Alkaline (>8.0) Country Or Region Of Origin: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics: Neutral (6.0-8.0) Central & E. Canada to N. & E. U.S.A Deciduous Soil Drainage: Wildlife Value: Habit/Form: Good Drainage This plant supports Hackberry Arching Moist Emperor ( celtis) and Ascending Question Mark (Polygonia Occasionally Dry Broad interrogationis) larvae. Questionmark Available Space To Plant: have an interesting life Pyramidal 24-60 feet cycles: overwintered adult Question Rounded Mark butterflies lay eggs from spring more than 60 feet Growth Rate: until the end of May. These will NC Region: Rapid appear as summer adults from May- Coastal September, laying eggs that then Maintenance: Piedmont develop into the winter adult form. Low USDA Plant Hardiness Zone: The winter adults appear in late Texture: 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4b, 4a, 5b, 5a, 6b, 6a, August and shelter for the winter Coarse starting the cycle all over again. 7b, 7a, 8a, 8b, 9b, 9a 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 , Mourning Cloak and Tawny Emperor butterflies. The provide food source for many and small . It also provides cover and nesting for birds. Cover is also provided for game birds, rabbits, and deer by the young stands. Play Value: https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/celtis-occidentalis/ 4/6 6/16/2021 Celtis occidentalis (American Hackberry, Beaverwood, Common Hackberry, False Elm, Hackberry, Nettle Tree, Northern Hackberry) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox Attracts Edible fruit

Wildlife Cover/Habitat Wildlife Food Source Wildlife Nesting Particularly Resistant To (/Diseases/Other Problems):

Fruit: Flowers: Leaves:

Fruit Color: Flower Color: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics: Orange Gold/Yellow Deciduous Purple/Lavender Green Leaf Color: Red/Burgundy Insignificant Green Fruit Value To Gardener: Orange Leaf Feel: Edible Rough Purple/Lavender Display/Harvest Time: Deciduous Leaf Fall Color: Flower Inflorescence: Gold/Yellow Fall Insignificant Leaf Type: Fruit Type: Flower Bloom Time: Simple Berry Spring Drupe Leaf Arrangement: Flower Petals: Alternate Fruit Length: Colored < 1 inch Leaf Shape: Flower Size: Lanceolate Fruit Width: < 1 inch Oblong < 1 inch Flower Description: Ovate Fruit Description: Insignificant, mostly monoecious, Female flowers give way to an often greenish flowers appear in spring Leaf Margin: abundant fruit crop of round fleshy (April–May) with male flowers in Entire berry-like drupes maturing to deep clusters and female flowers solitary. Serrate purple. Each drupe has one round Regardless of type, flowers are about Hairs Present: brown seed within. Birds consume ¼ inch across and predominately the fruits and disperse the seeds. The yellowish green; each flower has 4 to No globular fruit is borne singly on 5 oblong sepals connected together Leaf Length: stems 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch long. It at the base. Male flowers also have 4 3-6 inches ripens in September, but often to 5 with yellowish brown Leaf Description: remains on the tree through the anthers, while female flowers have a The leaves are oval to lance-shaped, winter. green superior that is ovoid in resembling those of an elm but more shape and tapers into 2 beaks. pointed. Glossy to dull green leaves Originating from these beaks, is a (2 to 5 inches long) have mostly pair of large brownish stigmata. uneven leaf bases and are coarsely Individual perfect flowers have both toothed from midleaf to tip. Fall a superior ovary with a pair of color is an undistinguished yellow. stigmata and 4-5 stamens.

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 https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/celtis-occidentalis/ 5/6 6/16/2021 Celtis occidentalis (American Hackberry, Beaverwood, Common Hackberry, False Elm, Hackberry, Nettle Tree, Northern Hackberry) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox that of a beech tree.

Stem: Landscape:

Stem Color: Landscape Location: Gray/Silver Recreational Play Area Green Landscape Theme: Stem Is Aromatic: Butterfly Garden No Children's Garden Stem Form: Native Garden Zig Zags Nighttime Garden Stem Lenticels: Garden Conspicuous Shade Garden Stem Surface: Smooth (glabrous) Design Feature: Shade Tree Stem Description: Twigs are green to dark reddish gray Street Tree and smooth. Young twigs are usually Attracts: glabrous, but sometimes they are Butterflies pubescent. Both twigs and young Moths branches are covered with small white lenticels. Pollinators Small Mammals Songbirds Resistance To Challenges: Pollution Poor Soil Wet Soil Wind

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