Common Name:

hackberry

Synonym(s):

Celtis tenuifolia

Genus species:

Celtis occidentalis

Family:

Cannabaceae

Form:

tree

Size:

15-20 ft tall by to 10 ft wide

Life Span:

long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

white

Fruit Color:

brown

Phenology:

deciduous

Noted For:

Recommended Uses:

Not typically grown but worth retaining if present as an understory tree.

Considerations:

Has a shallow root system that may prevent plants from growing under it.

Availability:

Propagation:

seed

Light:

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry

Somewhat moist, no flooding ---to--- Somewhat long very dry periods

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Sand, Lime Rock

Soil pH:

neutral to calcareous

Suitable to Grow In:

8A, 8B

Wildlife:

Fruits are eaten by a number of birds and small mammals.

Larval host for hackberry emperor (Asterocampa celtis), and mourning cloak (Nymphalis antiopa) butterflies. Sole larval host plant for American snout (Libytheana carineta) in South Florida; also larval host for tawny emperor (Asterocampa clyton), question mark (Polygonia interrogationis) butterflies.

Wind pollinated.

Native Habitats:

Floodplain forests and calcareous river swamps

Natural Range in Florida:

Visit the USF Libraries Atlas of Florida Plants

Ethnobotany:

Used for furniture, athletic goods, boxes and crates, and plywood. The common name apparently was derived from hagberry, meaning marsh berry, a name used in Scotland for a cherry.

General Comments:

Further north, this can be a moderately large tree.