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| ## COMMon hackberry {#common-hackberry .Title-Header}                 |
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| *Celtis occidentalis* L.                                              |
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| Plant Symbol = CEOC                                                   |
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Contributed by: USDA NRCS National Plant Data Center

![](media/image2.jpeg){width="1.6083333333333334in"
height="2.0861111111111112in"}

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##### Alternate Names  {#alternate-names .Header-3}

American hackberry, beaverwood, *Celtis canina, Celtis occidentalis*
ssp. *tenuifolia, Celtis occidentalis* var. *crassifolia, Celtis
occidentalis* var. *georgiana, Celtis occidentalis* var. *integrifolia,
Celtis occidentalis* var. *pumila, Celtis pumila, Celtis pumila* var.
*georgiana, Celtis tenuifolia,* false elm, hackberry, nettle tree,
northern hackberry, sugar berry.

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##### Uses {#uses .Header-3}

*Erosion control:* Common hackberry is included in windbreak plantings
to control wind erosion. Additionally, its deep root system makes common
hackberry useful for preventing soil erosion on disturbed sites.

*Ethnobotanic:* Native Americans valued common hackberry for medicinal,
food, and ceremonial purposes. Medicinally, the bark was decocted to
serve as a gynecological aid that could induce abortion, regulate
menstrual cycles, and treat

venereal diseases. Bark decoctions were also taken for sore throats.

The drupes of common hackberry were mixed with fat and corn to form
porridge or crushed to add flavor to foods. They were also pounded into
a paste, molded onto a stick and baked over an open fire.

Common hackberry was used as the fuel source for the altar fire at
peyote ceremonies, prayer ceremonies that utilized the hallucinogenic
peyote cactus. At the beginning of each of the four stages of the
ceremony, the altar fire was replenished with common hackberry wood.

*Ornamental:* Although the features of common hackberry are not
considered attractive, it is commonly used as a street tree because of
its ability to withstand drought and tolerate urban environments. Common
hackberry is also a bonsai species.

*Wildlife:* Wild turkey, ring-necked pheasant, quail, grouse, lesser
prairie chicken, cedar waxwing, robins, and other bird species consume
common hackberry fruit, which persist throughout the winter. Small
mammals also consume the fruit. Deer will browse common hackberry leaves
in the absence of preferred browse species. Common hackberry provides
good cover for species such as mule deer, white-tailed deer, upland game
birds, small non-game birds, and small mammals.

*Wood products:* Common hackberry is most commonly used as firewood. It
is not valuable as a timber tree, but is sometimes used to produce
inexpensive furniture. Its wood quality is comparable to that of elm and
white ash.

##### Legal Status {#legal-status .Header-3}

Common hackberry is listed as threatened in New Hampshire. Please
consult the PLANTS Web site (http://plants.usda.gov) and your State
Department of Natural Resources for this plant's current status (e.g.
threatened or endangered species, state noxious status, and wetland
indicator values).

##### Description {#description .Header-3}

*General*: Elm Family (Ulmaceae). Common hackberry is a large deciduous
tree reaching 12 m to 18 m in height at maturity. It typically lives to
be 150 to 200 years old and exhibits its greatest annual growth between
20 and 40 years of age. The bark is grayish and warty, and stems have a
zigzag appearance. The branches tend to droop, giving mature trees a
cylindrical shape and the appearance of even and equal spread of
branches. Leaves are alternately arranged, simple, 7 to 12 cm long, and
sharply toothed. They are dark green above, paler beneath, have
asymmetrical leaf bases (oblique), and sometimes have a rough texture.
Flowers are small, greenish-yellow, and emerge in April and May with the
leaves. Fruit are small greenish drupes that change to dark red or black
upon maturity in September and October.

*Distribution*: Common hackberry is native to the United States. It
occurs from Maine and Quebec, west to North Dakota, Wyoming and
Colorado, and south to Texas and Georgia. For current distribution,
please consult the Plant Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Web
site (http://plants.usda.gov).

*Habitat*: Common hackberry is the dominant species of the green
ash-western snowberry plant communities in Nebraska and South Dakota and
in the plains cottonwood-western snowberry communities in Montana, North
Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. Although it is primarily a bottomland
species, it is also found within upland communities on slopes and
bluffs, limestone outcrops, and rocky hillsides.

##### Adaptation {#adaptation .Header-3}

The USDA hardiness zones of common hackberry are 2 thru 9. Although it
is difficult to determine, it is considered a late-succession or climax
species because it grows well in deep shade. Seedlings are found beneath
heavy canopies, where other species cannot survive.

Common hackberry is able to grow in a variety of sites and soil types.
Although it grows best in moist soils near stream banks and on flood
plains, it will grow on dry, less fertile soils. Annual height growth
will decrease in drier soils. Common hackberry can also survive long
periods of drought due to its deep root system. It will not occur on
sites with a permanently high water table, but mature trees can survive
periods of excessive flooding.

In the most favorable soil conditions, growth can exceed 0.4 m per year
within the first 6 years of planting. In poor dry sites, growth is slow
(less than 2.5 cm per year) and some common hackberry plants appear
shrub-like. It prefers limestone soils and is not tolerant of salt spray
or soils with a pH greater than 8.

##### Management {#management .Header-3}

Common hackberry is susceptible to frost damage in the northern portions
of its range. For this reason, it is best to plant it in the second or
third row of either the windward or leeward half of windbreaks.

A few studies indicate that fire suppresses growth and regeneration of
common hackberry. Seedlings will not emerge in sunlight provided by a
newly opened canopy. Low intensity fires will injure trees or reduce
their reproductive potential while high intensity fires may kill some
trees. Wounds caused by fire attract insects or fungi that can pose more
problems for the plant.

##### Pests and Potential Problems {#pests-and-potential-problems .Header-3}

Insect and fungal infestations make common hackberry plants
unattractive, but generally do not kill them. Common hackberry is host
to gall-producing insects including the hackberry petiole gall psylid,
hackberry nipplegall maker, hackberry bud gall maker, and the hackberry
blistergall psyllid (all in the genus *Pachypsylla*).

Leaf spot fungi frequently occur on common hackberry trees. More
damaging is the witches' broom disease that causes rosette formation on
branch tips. Witches' broom is initiated by the combined infestation of
a gall mite and powdery mildew. Fungal infection by oak fungus
(*Armillaria mellea*) causes root rot on injured trees, leading to
death.

#####  {#section-6 .Header-3}

##### Seeds and Plant Production {#seeds-and-plant-production .Header-3}

##### Common hackberry seeds are ready for collection in September and October. They can be dried to less than 5% moisture content and remain viable throughout long storage periods. One study showed no loss in viability following 5.5 years in sealed storage at 10^o^C. Seeds will germinate at 21^o^C following 60 to 90 days of cold stratification at 5^o^C. Germination may increase with sulfuric acid (H~2~SO~4~) application. Treat seeds with concentrated H~2~SO~4~ for one hour, wash with water, and treat for another hour in H~2~SO~4~. {#common-hackberry-seeds-are-ready-for-collection-in-september-and-october.-they-can-be-dried-to-less-than-5-moisture-content-and-remain-viable-throughout-long-storage-periods.-one-study-showed-no-loss-in-viability-following-5.5-years-in-sealed-storage-at-10oc.-seeds-will-germinate-at-21oc-following-60-to-90-days-of-cold-stratification-at-5oc.-germination-may-increase-with-sulfuric-acid-h2so4-application.-treat-seeds-with-concentrated-h2so4-for-one-hour-wash-with-water-and-treat-for-another-hour-in-h2so4. .Header-3}

##### Cultivars, Improved, and Selected Materials (and area of origin) {#cultivars-improved-and-selected-materials-and-area-of-origin .Header-3}

The USDA NRCS Plant Materials Program has released 'Oahe' for urban
plantings in North Dakota, Montana, South Dakota, and Minnesota.

Other cultivars available from commercial sources include 'Magnifica,'
'Prairie Pride,' and 'Chicagoland.' These cultivars were developed for
plant shape, straighter trunks, drought resistance, salt tolerance, and
adaptation to compacted soils.

Contact your local Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly Soil
Conservation Service) office for more information. Look in the phone
book under "United States Government." The Natural Resources
Conservation Service will be listed under the subheading "Department of
Agriculture."

**References**

Agricultural Research Center. 2004. *GRIN taxonomy*
(http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/index, 9 June 2004). USDA,
Beltsville.

Baskin, C.J., J.M. Baskin. 2001. *Propagation protocol for production of
container Celtis occidentalis L. plants.* (http://www.nativeplant
network.org, 9 June 2004). College of Natural Resources, University of
Idaho, Moscow.

Brand, M. 2001. *University of Connecticut plant database*
(http://www.hort.uconn.edu/plants/, 9 June 2004). University of
Connecticut, Storrs.

Chester, E.W. 2004. *Celtis occidentalis.* (http://tenn.bio.utk.edu/
vascular/vascular.html, 9 June 2004). University of Tennessee,
Knoxville.

Floridata. 2004. *Plant encyclopedia* (http://floridata.com, 9 June
2004). Floridata Marketplace, Tallahassee.

Gilman, E.F. and D.G. Watson. 1993. *Celtis occidentalis (common
hackberry).* Fact Sheet ST-140. Florida Cooperative Extension Service,
Institute of Food and Agricultural Science, University of Florida,
Gainesville.

Gilmore, M.R. 1913. *Some native Nebraska plants with their uses by the
Dakota.* Collections of the Nebraska State Historical Society 17:
358-370.

Heatley, R. 1999. *Ornamental plants plus,* Version 3.0
(http://www.msue.msu.edu/imp/modzz/ masterzz.html, 9 June 2004).
Michigan State University Extension, East Lansing.

Herrick, J.W. 1977. *Iroquois medical botany.* State University of New
York, Albany.

Illinois State Museum. 2003. *Celtis occidentalis*
(http://www.museum.state.il.us/muslink/forest/htmls/tree/C-occidentalis.html,
9 June 2004). Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Springfield.

Lindstrom, J.T. 2003. *Celtis occidentalis*
(http://www.uark.edu/campus-resources/cotinus/plants4_html/celtocci.html,
9 June 2004). Horticulture 3103 Summary Sheet. Department of
Horticulture, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.

##### McLemore, B.F. 1990. *Silvics of North America: conifers and hardwoods* (http://www.na.fs.fed.us/ spfo/pubs/silvics_manual/table_of_contents.htm, 9 June 2004) Agriculture Handbook 654. USDA Forest Service, Washington D.C. {#mclemore-b.f.-1990.-silvics-of-north-america-conifers-and-hardwoods-httpwww.na.fs.fed.us-spfopubssilvics_manualtable_of_contents.htm-9-june-2004-agriculture-handbook-654.-usda-forest-service-washington-d.c. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-7 .Header-3}

##### Rhodes, T. 2002. *Plant Facts* (http://plantfacts.osu.edu, June 9 2004). Horticulture and Crop Science, The Ohio State University, Columbus. {#rhodes-t.-2002.-plant-facts-httpplantfacts.osu.edu-june-9-2004.-horticulture-and-crop-science-the-ohio-state-university-columbus. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-8 .Header-3}

##### Rosario, L.C. 1988. *Celtis occidentalis.* (http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/, 9 June 2004). Rocky Mountain Research Station, USDA Forest Service, Missoula. {#rosario-l.c.-1988.-celtis-occidentalis.-httpwww.fs.fed.usdatabasefeis-9-june-2004.-rocky-mountain-research-station-usda-forest-service-missoula. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-9 .Header-3}

##### Smith, H.H. 1928. *Ethnobotany of the Meskwaki Indians.* Bulletin of the Public Museum of the City of Milwaukee 4: 175-326. {#smith-h.h.-1928.-ethnobotany-of-the-meskwaki-indians.-bulletin-of-the-public-museum-of-the-city-of-milwaukee-4-175-326. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-10 .Header-3}

##### Speck, F.G. 1941. *A list of plant curatives obtained from the Houma Indians of Louisiana.* Primitive Man 14: 49-75. {#speck-f.g.-1941.-a-list-of-plant-curatives-obtained-from-the-houma-indians-of-louisiana.-primitive-man-14-49-75. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-11 .Header-3}

##### Swank, G.R. 1932. *The Ethnobotany of the Acoma and Laguna Indians.* University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. {#swank-g.r.-1932.-the-ethnobotany-of-the-acoma-and-laguna-indians.-university-of-new-mexico-albuquerque. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-12 .Header-3}

##### Tweddle, J.C., R.M. Turner, and J.B. Dickie. 2003. *Seed Information Database,* Release 5.0 (http://www.kew.org/data/sid/, 9 June 2004). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. {#tweddle-j.c.-r.m.-turner-and-j.b.-dickie.-2003.-seed-information-database-release-5.0-httpwww.kew.orgdatasid-9-june-2004.-royal-botanic-gardens-kew. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-13 .Header-3}

##### Vestal, P.A. and R.E. Schultes. 1939. *The economic botany of the Kiowa Indians.* Botanical Museum of Harvard University, Cambridge. {#vestal-p.a.-and-r.e.-schultes.-1939.-the-economic-botany-of-the-kiowa-indians.-botanical-museum-of-harvard-university-cambridge. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-14 .Header-3}

##### Virginia Tech Forestry Department. 2003. *Dendrology tree fact sheets* (http://www.cnr.vt.edu/dendro/dendrology/factsheets.cfm, 9 June 2004). Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg. {#virginia-tech-forestry-department.-2003.-dendrology-tree-fact-sheets-httpwww.cnr.vt.edudendrodendrologyfactsheets.cfm-9-june-2004.-virginia-polytechnic-institute-and-state-university-blacksburg. .Header-3}

#####  {#section-15 .Header-3}

##### Wunderlin, R.P., and B.F. Hansen. 2003. *Atlas of Florida vascular plants* (http://www.plantatlas.usf.edu, 9 June 2004). Institute of Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa. {#wunderlin-r.p.-and-b.f.-hansen.-2003.-atlas-of-florida-vascular-plants-httpwww.plantatlas.usf.edu-9-june-2004.-institute-of-systematic-botany-university-of-south-florida-tampa. .Header-3}

##### Prepared By:  {#prepared-by .Header-3}

##### *Sarah Wennerberg* {#sarah-wennerberg .Header-3}

##### Formerly USDA NRCS National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana {#formerly-usda-nrcs-national-plant-data-center-baton-rouge-louisiana .Header-3}

##### Species Coordinator:  {#species-coordinator .Header-3}

*Mark Skinner*

##### USDA NRCS National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana  {#usda-nrcs-national-plant-data-center-baton-rouge-louisiana .Header-3}

##### Edited: 23June2004 sbw; 20Oct2004 rln; 05jun06 jsp {#edited-23june2004-sbw-20oct2004-rln-05jun06-jsp .Header-4}

For more information about this and other plants, please contact your
local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the PLANTS
Web site\<[http://plants.usda.gov](http://plants.usda.gov/)\> or the
Plant Materials Program Web site
\<[http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov](http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov/)\>

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*To file a complaint of discrimination write USDA, Director, Office of
Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence
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*Read about [Civil Rights at the Natural Resources Convervation
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