Hackberry

Article By:

Graves, Arthur H. Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven, Connecticut.

Davis, Kenneth P. School of Forestry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.

Last reviewed:January 2020

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.304300

A medium-sized to large tree, Celtis occidentalis. The hackberry tree (Celtis occidentalis; see illustration), also known as the common hackberry, is a member of the order Rosales and occurs in the eastern half of the United States, except the extreme south. Occasionally reaching heights of 36 m (118 ft), the hackberry tree has corky or warty bark; alternate, long-pointed serrate leaves that are unequal at the base; and a small drupaceous fruit with thin, sweet, edible flesh. The pith of the twigs is chambered. The wood is used for furniture, boxes, and baskets. The hackberry is a shade tree and is also used for shelterbelts (windbreaks), which are barriers of trees to reduce erosion and provide shelter from wind and storm activity. The Janka hardness for hackberry is 399 kg-force (880 lb-force); its density is 609 kg/m³ (38 lb/ft³). Sugarberry (C. laevigata) is similar to hackberry. It grows in the southeastern United States and has narrower leaves with entire margins and smaller fruit. It is used for furniture, boxes, and baskets; shelterbelts; and shade. In addition, other species of trees belonging to the genus Celtis are often termed hackberries, including the European or Mediterranean hackberry (C. australis) and the Chinese or Japanese hackberry (C. sinensis). See also: Forest; Forestry; Rosales; Tree

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