Description Common hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) is a deciduous tree that can eventually reach to 60 feet or more. It’s more of an understory or shade tree than an ornamental, as its spring flowers are not showy. The small, rounded fruits (technically, drupes) that develop from the female flowers add some interest in late summer to early fall, when they turn from green to orange; then they ripen to purple-black and the outer coat shrivels as it dries. There’s not much flesh on them, but if you pop a mature fruit into your mouth and work it around a bit, you can detect a sweet flavor. You can also find recipes for other ways to use the large-seeded drupes. Birds happily feed on the fruit, and a variety of insects (including the larvae of question mark and mourning cloak butterflies, as well as various gall insects) feed on the foliage, which is green in summer and yellow in fall. Though common hackberry is excellent for its wildlife value, do your research before adding it to a typical residential yard, because it does have some drawbacks as a landscape tree. Common hackberry is native to parts of central and eastern North America; these seeds are from wild plants in my Hayefield hedgerow in Bucks County, PA. Full sun to partial shade; adapts to a range of growing conditions. Zones 3 to 9. Collected starting in early August 2025. At least 12 seeds. PA ecotype. Shipping to U.S. addresses only. Please read the germination information as well before ordering.
