Hackberry

Celtis occidentalis

curved trunk of a hackberry tree with sparse yellow leaves
“Celtis occidentalis” by Andreas Rockstein, via Flickr. CC BY-SA 2.0.
green, pointed leaves of a hackberry tree with berry-like fruits
“Immature seeds on hackberry, Celtis occidentalis” by Eli Sagor, via Flickr. CC BY-NC 2.0.

Ecological Benefits: provides habitat for nesting birds, fruit feeds birds and mammals

Seasons of interest: berries ripen in in late summer through winter

Best Areas for Planting: moist soils that are alkaline and well-drained, full sun

Natural Habitat: can be found in a wide variety of habitats

Most of the species information is from The Virginia Native Plant Society website, which offers free, extensive pdfs for each region of Virginia, highlighting about 100 native species (there are many more!) and helpful additional information for planning personal projects. If you aren’t from Virginia, you can search for similar resources in your state! To explore other resources and advice, navigate to the guidance page.

Visit the homepage to explore other sites and learn more about native plants.