FNPS Plant Database

Celtis occidentalis

Hackberry

PHOTOS COMING SOON!

Nomenclature

Common Name:

Hackberry

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Celtis occidentalis

Family:

Celtidaceae

Plant Specifics

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:

Landscaping

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:

Native Nurseries, Seed

Propagation:

Seed.

Light:

Part Sun, Shade

Moisture Tolerance:

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

Coming Soon!

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

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Unknown

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

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.



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Ecology

Wildlife:

Caterpillars, Birds, 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.





 

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

Native Habitats:

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

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.

Citations:

Burns, Russell M.; Honkala, Barbara H.; [Technical coordinators] 1990. Silvics of North America: Volume 2. Hardwoods. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service, Agriculture Handbook 654 ( https://www.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/pubs/1548 ). 



Huegel, Craig, N.  2010.  Native plant landscaping for Florida wildlife.  University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL. (wildlife uses)



Minno, Marc and Maria Minno.  1999.  Florida butterfly gardening.  University Press of Florida, Gainesville.



University of Tennessee Extension Service.  Desired Ph Range and salt tolerance of common nursery plants.    https://extension.tennessee.edu/mtnpi/Documents/handouts/Fertility/Desired-pH-Range-List.pdf   accessed 2021.



Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2021. Atlas of Florida Plants ( http://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu /).  Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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