Tree Notes is about trees -- especially native trees, trees for wildlife, and trees in history.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Hackberry in winter

Twiggy branches of a mature hackberry tree




Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) is a tree that's quite easy to identify in winter. If you learn to recognize its amooth-but-warty bark and its extremely twiggy silhouette, you can name this tree with confidence.

Celtis occidentalis, the common hackberry, grows in most of the United States except for the states west of the Rocky Mountains  (Those states have other varieties of hackberry trees.) It produces small berries (actually, drupes) that are eaten by a wide variety of wildlife. Because of the sweetness of the berries, one of hackberry's common names is "sugarberry".

This tree grows on the grounds of St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. It's a very large tree. I am fond of it.


2 comments -- please add yours:

Nellie from Beyond My Garden said...

I like your trees. I was led to this blog by looking up persimmon trees. I have a couple nice photos of a raccoon, and a possom at night in our persimmon tree
http://beyondmygarden.blogspot.com/
Thanks for your tree info.

Unknown said...

I was looking for photos of Hackberry trees. My girlfriends home in South Minneapolis had, according to neighbors, the largest Hackberry tree in Minnesota. It fell in the recent storms we had. It's trunk was at least 4ft in diameter and at least 80ft tall. It was sad to see it go.

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Enrich your life with the study of trees.

"The power to recognize trees at a glance without examining their leaves or flowers or fruit as they are seen, for example, from the car-window during a railroad journey, can only be acquired by studying them as they grow under all possible conditions over wide areas of territory. Such an attainment may not have much practical value, but once acquired it gives to the possessor a good deal of pleasure which is denied to less fortunate travelers."

Charles Sprague Sargent (1841-1927)

Print references I frequently consult

Benvie, Sam. Encyclopedia of North American Trees. Buffalo, NY: Firefly, 2000.

Brockman, C. Frank. Trees of North America: A Guide to Field Identification. Ed. Herbert S. Zim. New York: Golden, 1986.

Cliburn, Jerry, and Ginny Clomps. A Key to Missouri Trees in Winter: An Identification Guide. Conservation Commission of the State of Missouri, 1980.

Collingwood, G. H., Warren David Brush, and Devereux Butcher. Knowing Your Trees. Washington: American Forestry Association, 1978.

Dirr, Michael. Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs: an Illustrated Encyclopedia. Portland, Or.: Timber, 1997.

Elias, Thomas S. The Complete Trees of North America; Field Guide and Natural History. New York: Book Division, Times Mirror Magazines, 1980.

Grimm, William Carey. The Book of Trees;. Harrisburg, PA: Stackpole, 1962.

Hightshoe, Gary L. Native Trees, Shrubs, and Vines for Urban and Rural America: a Planting Design Manual for Environmental Designers. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1988.

Little, Elbert L. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Trees. New York: Chanticleer, 1996.

Martin, Alexander C., Herbert S. Zim, and Arnold L. Nelson. American Wildlife and Plants. New York: McGraw Hill, 1951.

Mitchell, Alan F., and David More. The Trees of North America. New York, NY: Facts On File Publications, 1987.

Randall, Charles E. Enjoying Our Trees. Washington: American Forestry Association, 1969.

Settergren, Carl D., and R. E. McDermott. Trees of Missouri. Columbia: University Extension, 1995.

Sternberg, Guy, and James W. Wilson. Native Trees for North American Landscapes: from the Atlantic to the Rockies. Portland: Timber, 2004.

Wharton, Mary E., and Roger W. Barbour. Trees and Shrubs of Kentucky. Lexington: University of Kentucky, 1973.

Wyman, Donald. Trees for American Gardens. New York: Macmillan, 1965.

Photos and text copyright © 2006-2013 by Genevieve L. Netz. All rights reserved. Do not republish without written permission. My e-mail address is gnetz51@gmail.com