Celtis - Hackberry Tree, Hoop Ash, Nettle-Tree, Sugar Berry

(Cel'tis)

DESCRIPTION: Celtis is the botanical name for the Hackberry tree, also known as the Sugarberry, Nettle tree and Hoop Ash. This group includes mostly hardy and deciduous trees (sometimes bushes) mainly from the Northern Hemisphere. The Hackberries resemble the Elms, but are smaller trees. C. occidentalis is a medium-sized tree, growing from 25 to 40 feet high. It forms a round head of branches. The leaves are arranged alternately on the branches. They are simple and ovate with long-pointed tips. They grow 1 or 2 inches long. The tops of the leaves are light green and the undersides are paler and smooth or slightly fuzzy. The ovoid fruits are about the size of a pea and colored dark purple. They have very thin and sweet flesh with a taste similar to a date. They ripen in the fall and often remain on the branches well into the winter. The wood of this tree is soft and weak and is usually used to make cheap furniture, boxes, crates, and fencing.

POTTING: Hackberries will flourish in ordinary garden soil, but prefer rich, moist ground.

PROPAGATION: Seeds may be sown outside or in a cold frame in the autumn, or cuttings may be taken. Layering or grafting may be done in the spring.

VARIETIES: C. australis; C. laevigata; C. occidentalis.

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