Illinois Natural History Survey - University of Illinois

Celtis occidentalis
Small hackberry, Hackberry
Taxonomy

Synonyms: Celtis occidentalis canina, Celtis occidentalis pumila, Celtis occidentalis var. canina, Celtis occidentalis var. pumila, Celtis occidentalis var pumila

Subspecific taxa:

Classification:

  • Magnoliophyta

Other taxonomic & nomenclature sources: USDA Plants;  ITIS;  The Plant List;  IPNI

Images

   
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Species Distribution
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Click map to view & download detailed occurrence records

More about map & occurrence records

County Map Legend
Absent:
Not known from county
Medium confidence:
Medium or unknown confidence;
often old records or unverifiable observations
Medium-high confidence:
Often observations by expert botanists
High confidence:
Often vouchered herbarium records
Planted / introduced:
Native species introduced outside historic range,
or only in planted locations within county (e.g., restorations)
Historic / extirpated:
Only historic records for the species; likely extirpated
(Note that this category is not yet functional)

North American distribution maps for this species: FLNA;  USDA Plants;  BONAP;  BISON

Collections, Observations & Flowering by Month [?]

J
0
F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
0

Collections & Observations by Decade [?]

Species Status

Status/Listing: No Information

Notes:

Origin: Native

Species Description

General: Dicot-woody, perennial

Roots: primary

Shoots: alternate leaf arrangment; simple leaf type; serrate leaf margin; Pinnate leaf venation; lanceolate, reniform leaf shape

Inflorescence: other

Flowers: perfect, unisexual, monoecious; incomplete, not petals; hypogynous ovary position

Fruit: drupe

Physiology: autotrophic; C3 C02 fixation

Reproduction: sexual

Ecology & Natural History

Habitat: Found in sandy or rocky areas. Found on rich banks, bottoms, and rocky slopes.

ILPIN Notes: Seed company numbers: 4, 14, 16, 17, 20, 22, 27, 28, 29, 32 Tree form - seedlings, bare root, balled & burlapped, seeds. May causes hayfever; frost ripened fruit are edible; not recommended as a street tree because commonly infected with witches-broom. Polygamous-unisexual and perfect on the same tree. Terrestrial furbearers eat the fruit. Regarding small non-game bird food value, this pertains especially to mockingbirds, robins. Flowers in fascicles; leaves leathery, asymmetrical at base; bark becoming warty; drupes orange-red at maturity; branches are often disfigured by 'witches brooms' which are caused by the mite Eriophyses. May cause hayfever. Frost ripened fruit are edible. Not recommended as a street tree because commonly infected with witches'-broom. Polygamous-unisexual and perfect on same tree. Flowers in fascicles; leaves more or less smooth on the upper surface, more symmetrical than other varieties. Drupes purple or black. May cause hayfever; frost ripened fruit are edible; not recommended as a street tree because commonly infected with witches-broom. Flowers in fascicles; leaves asymmetrical at the base and more or less smooth on the upper surface; drupes purple or black; smaller tree than other varieties.

Functional Relationships:

  • Pollinators: wind
  • Dispersal: bird, bird - internal, mammal, mammal - internal
  • Mycorrhizae:
  • N2 fixation:

Human Relationships:

  • Edibility [?] :
  • Showy Flowers: low

Wildlife and Livestock Information:

  • Food Value:
  • Cover Value: small non-game bird: good

Coefficient of Conservatism (C-value) [?] :

  • Entire State: 3
  • Chicago Area: 3

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