Celtis occidentalis L.

Common hackberry (en), Micocoulier de Virginie (fr)

Species

Angiosperms > Rosales > Cannabaceae > Celtis

Characteristics

A tree. It grows to 12-18 m high. It spreads 16 m wide. The trunk is 50 cm across. The young bark is smooth but it becomes rough as the tree matures. The leaves are alternate and simple. They are in 2 rows along the twigs. The leaves vary in shape and size. They are 6-9 cm long and widest towards the base. The base is unequal on opposite sides. The tip is long and tapering. There are teeth along the edge of the leaf. The leaves turn pale yellow in autumn. The flowers are small and greenish. The male and female flowers are separate on the same tree. Flowers are wind pollinated. The fruit are pea sized. They are berry like with a hard stone inside. This is pitted. The fruit ripen through red to purple. The fruit are edible.
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Shrub or tree to c. 25 m high, deciduous. Leaves: lamina ovate-lanceolate to broadly ovate, oblique, 4–14 cm long, mostly 3–7 cm wide, rounded and asymmetric at base, serrate margin, acuminate at apex, glabrous to scabrous above, (glabrous to) pubescent below, somewhat 3-veined; petiole 6–12 (–20) mm long; stipules lanceolate, c. 1 cm long. Inflorescence few-flowered. Bisexual flowers usually solitary; perianth lobes linear-oblong, c. 3 mm long; stamens equal to or slightly longer than perianth; ovary ovoid-cylindrical, c. 4 mm long; stigmatic arms recurved. Drupe ellipsoidal or globose, 7–13 mm long, orange to red to purple to ± black; pedicel 0.7–2 cm long. See also Walsh (2015).
Life form perennial
Growth form tree
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention deciduous
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination
Spread endozoochory
Mature width (meter) 16.0
Mature height (meter) 18.0 - 18.3
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) 1.8
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Fruit color
Fruiting months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway c3

Environment

It is native to North America. It grows naturally in deep, rich, alluvial soils. It can tolerate some shade, but does best in a sunny location. It will grow with a range of soil pH and can tolerate pollution. It is cold hardy. It suits hardiness zones 3-10. Arboretum Tasmania.
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Forms dense thickets and becoming a problem along some river systems (Richardson et al. 2016: 234). Garden escape, chiefly along river banks.
Dry to moist and rich woods, river banks, rocky barrens etc. Frequently found on limestone soils.
Light 4-8
Soil humidity 2-6
Soil texture 3-5
Soil acidity 4-7
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 4-8

Usage

The fruit can be eaten fresh. They are also used for jellies and jams. The fruit can be pounded with parched corn and fat and also used for flavouring meat.
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Cultivated ornamental tree; see Rodd (1996), Spencer (1997).
Uses dye eating environmental use fiber food fuel gene source material medicinal oil ornamental spice timber wood
Edible fruits seeds
Therapeutic use Throat Aid (bark), Venereal Aid (bark), Gynecological Aid (bark), Veterinary Aid (bark), Abortifacient (unspecified), Cold Remedy (unspecified)
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Plants can be grown by seed, cuttings or grafting.
Mode cuttings seedlings
Germination duration (days) -
Germination temperacture (C°) 3
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment -
Minimum temperature (C°) -29
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Habit

Celtis occidentalis habit picture by Josh Murray (cc-by-sa)
Celtis occidentalis habit picture by Stefano Lazzaretti (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Celtis occidentalis leaf picture by fourgoldfinches (cc-by-sa)
Celtis occidentalis leaf picture by Francis BurWei (cc-by-sa)
Celtis occidentalis leaf picture by dale west (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Celtis occidentalis fruit picture by B K (cc-by-sa)
Celtis occidentalis fruit picture by David Malcolm Shein (cc-by-sa)
Celtis occidentalis fruit picture by Sonlight (cc-by-sa)

Distribution

Celtis occidentalis world distribution map, present in Australia, Austria, Canada, Germany, France, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and United States of America

Conservation status

Celtis occidentalis threat status: Least Concern

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:301424-2
WFO ID wfo-0000593651
COL ID S4SV
BDTFX ID 77016
INPN ID 160921
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR) Link

Synonyms

Celtis occidentalis f. canina Sponia pumila Celtis floridana Celtis audibertiana Celtis canina Celtis heterophyla Celtis morifolia Celtis obliqua Celtis parvifolia Celtis procera Celtis pumila Celtis pumila Celtis cordata Celtis cordifolia l'hér. ex Celtis crassifolia Celtis longifolia Celtis scabra Sponia occidentalis Celtis audibertiana var. oblongata Celtis audibertiana var. ovata Celtis crassifolia var. eucalyptifolia Celtis crassifolia var. morifolia Celtis crassifolia var. tiliifolia Celtis mississippiensis var. pumila Celtis occidentalis var. aspera Celtis occidentalis var. audibertiana Celtis occidentalis var. canina Celtis occidentalis var. cordata Celtis occidentalis var. crassifolia Celtis occidentalis var. pumila Celtis occidentalis var. serrulata Celtis occidentalis var. submembranacea Celtis pumila var. deamii Celtis occidentalis f. neglecta Celtis occidentalis f. pumila Celtis tenuifolia Celtis urticifolia Celtis occidentalis var. occidentalis Celtis occidentalis var. pumila Celtis occidentalis