January Plant of the Month, Hackberry

Celtis occidentalis

Hackberry is a common street tree because it tolerates wet soil, drought, clay soil, road salt, and air pollution. It commonly grows to a height and width of 30-60 feet but sometimes taller if the conditions are right. Hackberry prefers full sun to part shade and soil that is medium to wet moisture but are very tolerant of a variety of conditions. This tree can be grown in a rain garden and helps prevent erosion.

It is in the family Cannabaceae along with Hops and Cannabis for which the family gets it's name. I would have never guessed hackberry to have such notorious relatives just by looking at it. Many scientist misclassified Hackberry in the family with Elm until recently when it was moved the correct family.

The hackberry forms an inconspicuous small green bloom in April and May that is wind pollinated. The red/purple fruit is a delight to the birds which will spread the seeds and their purple poop along their flight path as they visit the tree. The fleshy parts of the fruit are edible to humans and somewhat sweet giving this tree an alternate name, sugarberry.

The hackberry is the host plant to several butterflies. The Mourning Cloak, Question Mark, Hackberry Emperor, Comma, Snout, and Tawny Emperor butterflies all look for this tree. Some of these butterflies over winter as adults in the leaf litter and can be seen flying on warm winter days. Treat the fallen leaves of hackberry gently to be rewarded with more butterflies.

My favorite feature of the hackberry is the bark, that is easy to notice in the winter months. The bark forms wart like bumps on the trunk sometimes protruding enough to look like a relief map of canyon lands. The feel of the ridges and warts of the corky bark is memorable and should be enjoyed at every opportunity.