Hackberry, Common
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Last Updated: Sep 11, 2024, 11:35 AM
This tree is one of the 150 trees initially included in the arboretum to coincide with the campus's 150th anniversary celebration.
Scientific Name:
Celtis occidentalis
Cultivar:
Native to:
Quebec to Manitoba, south to North Carolina, Alabama, Georgia and Oklahoma
Mature Height and Width:
40-60 feet by 40-60 feet, can grow up to 100 feet high
Additional Notes:
Hackberry is most readily recognized by its warty bark. This abundant bottomland species provided an important food source for Native Americans where the berries were added as a flavoring to a porridge made of corn and animal fat. Those with a more cosmopolitan palate have likened the taste to that of dates. However, the fruit is small and typically difficult to reach, so are probably better off just buying some dates. Just sayin’.