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Native Plant Society of Texas

Hackberry

Celtis laevigata

Other common name(s):

Sugarberry

Family:

Cannabaceae (Hemp Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

This map uses data from the US EPA. EPA  servers have been offline frequently so maps may not display. We are working on a solution.

Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Southern Texas Plains, Southwestern Tablelands, Texas Blackland Prairies, Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Carbonate Cross Timbers, Eastern Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie, Limestone Cut Plain, Western Cross Timbers
Bastrop Lost Pines, Floodplains and Low Terraces2, Northern Post Oak Savanna, Northern Prairie Outliers, San Antonio Prairie, Southern Post Oak Savanna
Balcones Canyonlands, Edwards Plateau Woodland, Llano Uplift
Coastal Sand Plain, Floodplains and Low Terraces4, Laguna Madre Barrier Island and Coastal Marshes, Lower Rio Grande Alluvial Floodplain, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies, Southern Subhumid Gulf Coastal Prairies, Texas-Louisiana Coastal Marshes
Northern Nueces Alluvial Plains, Rio Grande Floodplain and Terraces, Semiarid Edwards Bajada, Texas-Tamaulipan Thornscrub
Caprock Canyons Badlands Breaks
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie, Southern Blackland Prairie
Flatwoods, Floodplains and Low Terraces3, Southern Tertiary Uplands

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Tree

Height

60
to
80
ft.

Spread

20
to
30
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Loam, Clay, Caliche, Well Drained, Dry

Light Requirement

Sun, Part Shade

Water Requirement

Low, Medium

Native Habitat

Woodland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Green

Bloom Season

Spring

Seasonal Interest

Berry, Fall Color, Seeds, Larval Host

Wildlife Benefit

Butterflies, Birds

Maintenance

Some consider this a trash tree: the wood can become weak when infected with parasitic mistletoe and fallen branches damage buildings. On the other hand, it adapts well to poor-quality soils common in urban areas and is heat and drought tolerant. They provide shade that reduces electric bills; filtration of air pollution; and control of storm water and flooding. Prune weak limbs away from buildings. Remove Mistletoe from limbs. Add mulch to improve drought tolerance. Propagation: seed, softwood cutting.

Comments

Blooms February-April. A medium-sized tree with light gray, smooth bark, covered with knobby warts as the tree ages. Leaves are lance-shaped, with a tapering tip and unequal base, which is narrow on one side and rounded on the other. Flowers are solitary or in small clusters at the base of leaves. The small, round fruit is reddish-brown, with a leathery coating. Larval host: Hackberry Emperor, American Snout, Morning Cloak, Question Mark butterflies. Replaces non-natives: Chinaberry.

References

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Seed Stratification Stratify 60-90 days at 41 degrees. Plant seeds ½ inch deep in a moist, loose, and well-drained bed.6 It is beneficial to mulch the seedbed with straw and leaves. If planted directly in the fall, establishment is between 3-5 months. If stratified seeds are planted in the spring or summer, establishment is about 12 weeks. Pick mature fruits in late summer until winter. Air-dry with pulp on or soak overnight and rub pulp off on screen. The seeds can be depulped by wet maceration. Depulping is not essential, but it has been reported to aid germination (1). Average germinative capacity is reported to be 55 percent for sugarberry. 1) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=CELA 2) https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/misc/ag_654/volume_2/celtis/laevigata.htm#:~:text=Seeds%20should%20be%20stratified%20in,fire%2Ddamaged%20seedlings%20and%20saplings. 3) chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://courses.washington.edu/esrm412/protocols/2011/CELA.pdf
Stem Cutting Sugarberry can be propagated by cuttings (7). Small stumps sprout readily, and there is some sprouting from root collars of fire-damaged seedlings and saplings. https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/misc/ag_654/volume_2/celtis/laevigata.htm#:~:text=Seeds%20should%20be%20stratified%20in,fire%2Ddamaged%20seedlings%20and%20saplings.

About the Region

Fall Symposium 2025 Logo - Teach for the Future

Salado, the location of our Fall 2025 Symposium, lies at the intersection of two ecoregions: the Edwards Plateau (Limestone Cut Plain) and Blackland Prairie (Northern Blackland Prairie).

The Edwards Plateau area is also called the Hill Country; however, this general term covers a much larger area extending farther north. Spring-fed creeks are found throughout the region; deep limestone canyons, rivers, and lakes (reservoirs) are common. Ashe juniper is perhaps the most common woody species found throughout the region. Additional woody species include various species of oak, with live oak (Quercus fusiformis) being the most common. Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) border waterways. This area is well known for its spring wildflower displays, though they may be viewed in spring, late summer, and fall, as well. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, average annual rainfall in the Edwards Plateau ranges from 15 to 34 inches.

The Blackland Prairie extends from the Red River south to San Antonio, bordered on the west by the Edwards Plateau and the Cross Timbers, and on the east by the Post Oak Savannah. Annual rainfall averages 30 to 40 inches, with higher averages to the east. This region is dominated by prairie species. The most common grass species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) in the uplands and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the riparian areas and drainages. Common herbaceous flowering plants include salvias, penstemons, and silphiums. This area has suffered greatly from overgrazing and agricultural use. Few intact areas remain, though many of the plants can be found along county roadsides throughout the region.

Our fall Symposium host chapter, the Tonkawa Chapter, includes both of these ecoregions.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason