Common Hackberry
Celtis occidentalis · Deciduous, Broadleaf, Hardwood
Plant Family
Cannabaceae
Tree Category
Shade Tree, Forest Tree
Variety / Cultivar
None (specimen is a wild variety)
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 3 through 9; exceptionally cold hardy and adaptable to urban pollution.
About This Tree
A hardy, medium-sized tree with an irregular, rounded, or spreading crown. Noted for its distinctive corky bark and drooping, zigzag branching pattern. Growth is fast to moderate.
Leaf Characteristics
Simple, ovate leaves with asymmetrical bases; 2 to 5 inches long; serrated margins; light to dark green color turning a pale, dull yellow in fall; alternate arrangement; rough, sandpaper-like texture on top.
Bark Characteristics
Gray to grayish-brown with distinctive cork-like ridges or warty protuberances that become more pronounced with age; young trees like this one show the early development of these ridges.
Growing Information
Origin Region
North America; particularly common in the Midwestern and Eastern United States
Growing Season
Leafs out in late spring (April-May); greenish flowers appear as leaves emerge; fruit ripens in autumn; dormant in winter.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun to partial shade; highly adaptable to various moisture levels; once established, it is very drought-tolerant and can handle occasional flooding.
Mature Size
40 to 60 feet tall with a similar spread; trunk diameter up to 2-3 feet at maturity; lifespan of 150-200 years.
Special Characteristics
Produces edible (though thin-fleshed) drupes; highly resistant to strong winds; tolerant of poor, alkaline, and compacted soils; significant fall color is usually minimal.
Wildlife & Ecology
Provides critical food for birds (cedar waxwings, robins) through its persistence berries; serves as a host plant for the Hackberry Emperor and Question Mark butterflies; provides good nesting sites for songbirds.