Common Name: Hackberry

General Information

Celtis occidentalis is a deciduous shrub or a tree with a rounded crown. It can vary greatly in size in response to habitat - when well-suited, it can grow up to 20 metres tall[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials. It is valued as an ornamental street tree, providing excellent shade, and is also used in shelterbelt plantings.
Celtis occidentalis has a wide range and a large and stable population. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2018)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Central and eastern N. America - southern Manitoba to southern Quebec and Maine, south to northern Texas, northern Georgia and North Carolina

Habitat

Dry to moist and rich woods, river banks, rocky barrens etc[]. Frequently found on limestone soils[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	20.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Celtis occidentalis can be very cold-hardy when growing in hot summer areas, able to tolerate winter temperatures falling to at least -20°c when dormant, though young growth in spring is very susceptble to frost damage[200. 1050]. However, Celtis species generally prefer hotter summers and more sunlight than are normally experienced in maritime regions of the temperate zone. In areas with cooler summers the plants often do not fully ripen their wood and are then very subject to die-back in the winter[, , ].
Plants are fairly shade tolerant, especially when young[]. Succeeds in any reasonably good soil, preferring a good fertile well-drained loamy soil[, , ]. Succeeds on dry gravels and on sandy soils[]. Tolerates alkaline soils[]. It has fair growth on acidic and saline soils, poor growth on sodic-saline soils[]. Established plants are very drought resistant, and also tolerant of seasonal inundation of the soil[, , , ]. Wind resistant[]. Trees transplant easily[].
Plants in the wild are very variable in size, ranging from small shrubs to large trees[]. They are fast-growing[, ], and can be very long-lived, perhaps to 1,000 years[]. Only to 200 years according to another report[]. They usually produce good crops of fruit annually[].
Celtis occidentalis is valued as an ornamental street tree in N. America because of its tolerance to drought and the excellent shade it provides[, ].
Trees respond well to coppicing, readily sending up suckers after cutting or the top being killed off in a fire[].
The various N. American Celtis species provide an important wildlife habitat, forming thickets that give shelter and fleshy drupes that ripen in autumn, persist after the leaves fall, and supply winter food for birds and mammals[].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[, , , ]. Very sweet and pleasant tasting, they can be eaten out of hand or can be used for making jellies, preserves etc[]. The fruit is often produced abundantly in Britain, it is about the size of a blackcurrant, but there is very little flesh surrounding a large seed and it is therefore a very fiddly crop[]. The fruit is dark orange to purple- or blue-black when fully ripe, usually about 7-11mm in diameter, though occasionally up to 20mm[]. The flesh is dry and mealy but with a pleasant sweet taste[].

Seed[]. No more details.

The fruit and seed can be ground up finely together and used as a flavouring[, ]. The N. American Indians ate them with parched corn[].

Medicinal

An extract obtained from the wood has been used in the treatment of jaundice[].
A decoction of the bark has been used in the treatment of sore throats[]. When combined with powdered shells it has been used to treat VD[].

Agroforestry Uses:

Fairly wind-tolerant, it can be planted as part of a shelterbelt[].
Although hackberry thrives better on fertile soils than on poor ones, its ability to grow on sterile soil is one of its best qualities. The tree will live and bear seed in situations where almost any other tree would die. With its ability to withstand drought, and its growth in a wide variety of sites and soils, this species may be of some value in the reclamation of disturbed sites[].

Other Uses

A dye is obtained from the roots[]. It is used for dyeing linen[].

The heartwood of N. American Celtis species is a yellowish gray brown to light brown; the sapwood is pale yellow to grayish or greenish yellow. The wood is straight and close-grained, moderately hard, strong in bending, but weak in compression[], not durable in contact with the soil[]. It also has high shock resistance, but lacks stiffness. The wood planes and turns well. It is intermediate in its ability to hold nails and screws. It resists splitting from screws better than from nails; glueing properties are excellent[]. It is used for cheap furniture, millwork, sporting and athletic goods, boxes and crates, fencing, veneer and plywood[, , , , , , ].
The wood is used for fuel[]. An excellent fuel[].

We have no further specific information for this species, but most species in this genus yield a fine timber; their fibre-rich bark is utilized for the manufacture of ropes and paper; and an oil obtained from the seed is used for making soaps and lubricants[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[]. Stored seed is best given 2 - 3 months cold stratification and then sown late winter/early spring in a greenhouse[, ]. Germination rates are usually good, though the stored seed might take 12 months or more to germinate. The seed can be stored for up to 5 years[]. As soon as they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots. The leaves of seedlings often have a lot of white patches without chlorophyll, this is normal and older plants produce normal green leaves. Grow the seedlings on in a cold frame for their first winter, and plant them out in the following late spring or early summer[]. Give them some protection from the cold for their first winter outdoors.
Cuttings