Celtis laevigata – Sugarberry – 3-Gallon

Here in the northeast we’re not that familiar with Hackberries and Sugarberries. They’re much more common in the south and southwest – this species occurs in rich bottomlands from Maryland to southern Illinois south to Texas and Florida. From Cullina’s Native Tree book: “It’s similar to beech, both in its wide, densely leafy canopy and the smooth, muscled cool gray bark that clothes its limbs and trunk. The sweet, nutritious fruits, described by some as date-like in flavor, are an important fall-winter forage for both migrating and overwintering birds.” It’s a fairly common street and shade tree in the South, with a wide-spreading canopy from a single trunk – a form which reveals it’s membership in the Elm family.