Celtis occidentalis: 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.
Plant Profile: Celtis occidentalis
Taxonomy: Celtis occidentalisNames
American Hackberry, Beaverwood, Common Hackberry, False Elm, Hackberry, Nettle Tree, Northern Hackberry
Phonetic Spelling:SEL-tis ock-sih-den-TAH-liss
Genus:Celtus
Species:occidentalis
Family:Ulmaceae
Celtis occidentalis, commonly known as Hackberry, is a deciduous tree indigenous to North Carolina. Typically, it grows between 30 to 40 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet in diameter, but under optimal conditions, it can reach heights of up to 130 feet and diameters exceeding 4 feet. The tree features a straight central trunk and develops an ovoid crown that takes on a cylindrical shape as it matures. While it can be found sparsely across the state, it is absent from the higher mountainous regions. Its greatest abundance and size are found in the fertile alluvial soils of the lower state, although it is adaptable and can thrive in a wide range of soil types, from the poorest to the richest.
For optimal growth, Hackberry prefers moist, organically rich, well-drained soils and full sunlight, and it is relatively easy to transplant. It can tolerate partial shade, wind, and various urban pollutants, but it struggles in maritime conditions. The wood of the Hackberry is dense yet soft and weak, and it tends to decay rapidly when exposed to moisture. The branches may also exhibit a drooping tendency. These trees have a lifespan ranging from 150 to 200 years.
In terms of pests and diseases, Hackberry can be affected by witches’ broom, which causes dense, twisted clusters of twigs at the ends of branches; while this condition is largely cosmetic and does not harm the tree, it can be unsightly. Hackberry nipple gall, another benign issue, can distort the leaves without causing significant damage. Other potential problems include powdery mildew, leaf spot, and root rot. Additionally, it is advisable to monitor for lacebugs and scale insects. If planted near sidewalks or patios, the seeds can create cleanup challenges.
Celtis occidentalis Feature Summary
Celtis occidentalis Image Gallery
Tags
#shade tree
#wildlife plant
#native tree
#moths
#berries
#street tree
#playground
#food source
#cpp
#NC native
#nighttime garden
#children's garden
#edible fruits
#pollinator plant
#larval host plant
#food source fall
#fruits
#bird friendly
#butterfly friendly
#moth larvae
#pollinator garden
#question mark butterfly
#hackberry emperor moth
Similar Plants
Celtis occidentalis is often confused with:
Celtis occidentalis Feature Summary
Attributes
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.
Central & E. Canada to N. & E. U.S.A
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.
Moderately deer resistant and immune to Dutch Elm disease.
Fleshy parts of the fruit are edible and somewhat sweet. Can be eaten raw or used for making jellies and preserves.
Woody
Edible fruit
Wildlife Food Source
Attracts Pollinators
Wildlife Nesting
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Fruit
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.
Berry
Drupe
Red/Burgundy
Purple/Lavender
Orange
Edible
< 1 inch
< 1 inch
Flowers
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.
Purple/Lavender
Gold/Yellow
Insignificant
Green
Orange
Insignificant
Spring
Colored Sepals
< 1 inch
Leaves
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.
Deciduous
Green
Gold/Yellow
Simple
Alternate
Ovate
Oblong
Lanceolate
Entire
Serrate
3-6 inches
Rough
Bark
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.
Light Gray
Light Brown
Ridges
Stem
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.
Green
Gray/Silver
Smooth (glabrous)
Zig Zags
Conspicuous
Whole Plant Traits
Shrub
Edible
Tree
Native Plant
Deciduous
Arching
Rounded
Pyramidal
Broad
Ascending
Rapid
Low
Coarse
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasionally Dry
more than 60 feet
24-60 feet
Coastal
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
2a
2b
3a
3b
9a
9b
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Landscape
Butterfly Garden
Pollinator Garden
Children's Garden
Nighttime Garden
Native Garden
Shade Garden
Shade Tree
Street Tree
Pollution
Wet Soil
Wind
Poor Soil
Recreational Play Area
Butterflies
Pollinators
Songbirds
Moths
Small Mammals
Celtis occidentalis Image Gallery
Celtis occidentalis Attributes
Celtis occidentalis: Country Or Region Of Origin
Central & E. Canada to N. & E. U.S.A
Celtis occidentalis: 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.
Celtis occidentalis: Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)
Moderately deer resistant and immune to Dutch Elm disease.
Celtis occidentalis: Edibility
Fleshy parts of the fruit are edible and somewhat sweet. Can be eaten raw or used for making jellies and preserves.
Celtis occidentalis: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Celtis occidentalis: Recommended Propagation Strategy
Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting
Celtis occidentalis: Play Value
Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer
Celtis occidentalis Fruit
Celtis occidentalis: 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.
Celtis occidentalis: Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Celtis occidentalis: Fruit Color
Orange
Purple/Lavender
Red/Burgundy
Celtis occidentalis: Fruit Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Celtis occidentalis: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Celtis occidentalis: Fruit Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Celtis occidentalis: Fruit Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Celtis occidentalis Flowers
Celtis occidentalis: 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.
Celtis occidentalis: Flower Color
Gold/Yellow
Green
Insignificant
Orange
Purple/Lavender
Celtis occidentalis: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Celtis occidentalis: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Celtis occidentalis: Flower Petals
2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals
Celtis occidentalis: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Celtis occidentalis Leaves
Celtis occidentalis: 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.
Celtis occidentalis: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Celtis occidentalis: Leaf Color
Green
Celtis occidentalis: Deciduous Leaf Fall Color
Gold/Yellow
Celtis occidentalis: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Celtis occidentalis: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Celtis occidentalis: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Celtis occidentalis: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Celtis occidentalis: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Celtis occidentalis: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Celtis occidentalis: Leaf Feel
Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy
Celtis occidentalis Bark
Celtis occidentalis: 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.
Celtis occidentalis: Bark Color
Light Brown
Light Gray
Celtis occidentalis: Surface/Attachment
Bumpy
Exfoliating
Fissured
Furrowed
Lenticels
Papery
Patchy
Peeling
Ridges
Scaly
Shaggy
Shiny
Shredding
Smooth
Spongy
Celtis occidentalis Stem
Celtis occidentalis: 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.
Celtis occidentalis: Stem Color
Gray/Silver
Green
Celtis occidentalis: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Celtis occidentalis: Stem Surface
Corky Ridges
Covered with a powdery bloom (glaucous)
Dull
Hairy (pubescent)
Polished
Smooth (glabrous)
Celtis occidentalis: Stem Form
Straight
Zig Zags
Celtis occidentalis: Stem Lenticels
Conspicuous
Not Conspicuous
Celtis occidentalis Whole Plant Traits
Celtis occidentalis: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Celtis occidentalis: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Celtis occidentalis: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Celtis occidentalis: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Celtis occidentalis: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Celtis occidentalis: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Celtis occidentalis Cultural Conditions
Celtis occidentalis: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
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)
Celtis occidentalis: Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Celtis occidentalis: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Celtis occidentalis: Available Space To Plant
12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet
Celtis occidentalis: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Celtis occidentalis: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
2a
2b
3a
3b
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Celtis occidentalis: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Celtis occidentalis Landscape
Celtis occidentalis: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Celtis occidentalis: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Celtis occidentalis: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Celtis occidentalis: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Celtis occidentalis: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
