''Celtis'' is a
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...
of about 60–70 species of
deciduous
In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, a ...
trees, commonly known as hackberries or nettle trees, widespread in warm
temperate
In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout t ...
regions of the
Northern Hemisphere. The genus is part of the extended
hemp family (
Cannabaceae
Cannabaceae is a small family of flowering plants, known as the hemp family. As now circumscribed, the family includes about 170 species grouped in about 11 genera, including '' Cannabis'' (hemp), '' Humulus'' ( hops) and ''Celtis'' (hackberries ...
).
Description
''Celtis'' species are generally medium-sized
tree
In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...
s, reaching tall, rarely up to tall. The
leaves are alternate, simple, long,
ovate
Ovate may refer to:
* Ovate (egg-shaped) leaves, tepals, or other botanical parts
*Ovate, a type of prehistoric stone hand axe
A hand axe (or handaxe or Acheulean hand axe) is a prehistoric stone tool with two faces that is the longest-used ...
-
acuminate
The following is a list of terms which are used to describe leaf morphology in the description and taxonomy of plants. Leaves may be simple (a single leaf blade or lamina) or compound (with several leaflets). The edge of the leaf may be regular ...
, and evenly
serrated margins. Diagnostically, ''Celtis'' can be very similar to trees in the
Rosaceae
Rosaceae (), the rose family, is a medium-sized family of flowering plants that includes 4,828 known species in 91 genera.
The name is derived from the type genus ''Rosa''. Among the most species-rich genera are '' Alchemilla'' (270), '' Sorbu ...
and other rose motif families.
Small flowers of this
monoecious
Monoecy (; adj. monoecious ) is a sexual system in seed plants where separate male and female cones or flowers are present on the same plant. It is a monomorphic sexual system alongside gynomonoecy, andromonoecy and trimonoecy.
Monoecy i ...
plant appear in early spring while the leaves are still developing. Male flowers are longer and
fuzzy. Female flowers are greenish and more rounded.
The fruit is a small
drupe
In botany, a drupe (or stone fruit) is an indehiscent fruit in which an outer fleshy part ( exocarp, or skin, and mesocarp, or flesh) surrounds a single shell (the ''pit'', ''stone'', or '' pyrena'') of hardened endocarp with a seed (''kerne ...
in diameter, edible in many species, with a dryish but sweet, sugary consistency, reminiscent of a
date.
Taxonomy
Previously included either in the
elm family (
Ulmaceae
The Ulmaceae () are a family of flowering plants that includes the elms (genus ''Ulmus''), and the zelkovas (genus ''Zelkova''). Members of the family are widely distributed throughout the north temperate zone, and have a scattered distribution ...
) or a separate family, Celtidaceae, the
APG III system
The APG III system of flowering plant classification is the third version of a modern, mostly molecular-based, system of plant taxonomy being developed by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG). Published in 2009, it was superseded in 2016 by a fu ...
places ''Celtis'' in an expanded
hemp family (
Cannabaceae
Cannabaceae is a small family of flowering plants, known as the hemp family. As now circumscribed, the family includes about 170 species grouped in about 11 genera, including '' Cannabis'' (hemp), '' Humulus'' ( hops) and ''Celtis'' (hackberries ...
).
Phylogeny
Members of the genus are present in the
fossil
A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved ...
record at early as the
Miocene
The Miocene ( ) is the first geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and means "less recent" ...
of Europe, and
Paleocene
The Paleocene, ( ) or Palaeocene, is a geological epoch that lasted from about 66 to 56 million years ago (mya). It is the first epoch of the Paleogene Period in the modern Cenozoic Era. The name is a combination of the Ancient Greek ''pal ...
of North America and eastern Asia.
Species
66 species are currently accepted.
[''Celtis'' L.]
''Plants of the World Online'', Kew Science. Accessed 11 December 2022.

*''
Celtis adolfi-friderici''
*''
Celtis africana
''Celtis africana'', the white stinkwood, is a deciduous tree in the family Cannabaceae. Its habit ranges from a tall tree in forest to a medium-sized tree in bushveld and open country, and a shrub on rocky soil. It occurs in Yemen and over la ...
'' – white stinkwood
*''
Celtis australis
''Celtis australis'', the European nettle tree, Mediterranean hackberry, lote tree, or honeyberry, is a deciduous tree native to Southern Europe, North Africa, and Asia Minor. The tree was introduced to England in 1796.Hillier Nurseries Ltd. (19 ...
'' – European hackberry, European nettle tree, or lote tree
*''
Celtis balansae
''Celtis balansae'' is a species of plant in the family Cannabaceae. It is endemic to New Caledonia
)
, anthem = ""
, image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg
, map_alt = Location of New Cal ...
''
*''
Celtis berteroana''
*''
Celtis bifida
''Celtis'' is a genus of about 60–70 species of deciduous trees, commonly known as hackberries or nettle trees, widespread in warm temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The genus is part of the extended hemp family (Cannabaceae).
Desc ...
''
*''
Celtis biondii
''Celtis biondii'' ( zh, s=紫弹树 , p=zidanshu, l=purple bullet tree) is a species of hackberry native to China, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan. It prefers to grow on limestone in the floristic assemblage that is thought to also include wild ''Gin ...
''
*''
Celtis boninensis''
*''
Celtis brasiliensis
''Celtis'' is a genus of about 60–70 species of deciduous trees, commonly known as hackberries or nettle trees, widespread in warm temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The genus is part of the extended hemp family (Cannabaceae).
Desc ...
''
*''
Celtis bungeana'' – Bunge's hackberry
*''
Celtis caucasica
''Celtis caucasica'', the Caucasian hackberry or Caucasian nettle tree, is a species of flowering plant in the family Cannabaceae. It is native to the Caucasus region, Central Asia, and on to the western Himalaya. Hardy to USDA zone 5b, it toler ...
'' – Caucasian hackberry
*''
Celtis caudata
''Celtis'' is a genus of about 60–70 species of deciduous trees, commonly known as hackberries or nettle trees, widespread in warm temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The genus is part of the extended hemp family ( Cannabaceae).
Des ...
''
*''
Celtis cerasifera
''Celtis'' is a genus of about 60–70 species of deciduous trees, commonly known as hackberries or nettle trees, widespread in warm temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The genus is part of the extended Cannabis, hemp family (Cannabace ...
''
*''
Celtis chekiangensis''
*''
Celtis chichape''
*''
Celtis conferta
''Celtis conferta'' is a flowering plant in the hemp and hackberry family. It has a disjunct range in the Australasian region, with two subspecies.
Subspecies
* ''Celtis conferta'' subsp. ''conferta'' — New Caledonia
* ''Celtis conferta'' sub ...
'' – cottonwood
**''Celtis conferta'' subsp. ''conferta'' –
New Caledonia
**
''Celtis conferta'' subsp. ''amblyphylla'' –
Lord Howe Island
Lord Howe Island (; formerly Lord Howe's Island) is an irregularly crescent-shaped volcanic remnant in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand, part of the Australian state of New South Wales. It lies directly east of mainland ...
*''
Celtis ehrenbergiana'' – spiny hackberry, ''granjeno'' (Spanish)
*''
Celtis eriocarpa
''Celtis'' is a genus of about 60–70 species of deciduous trees, commonly known as hackberries or nettle trees, widespread in warm temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The genus is part of the extended hemp family (Cannabaceae).
Desc ...
''
*''
Celtis glabrata'' (syn. ''Celtis planchoniana'' )
*''
Celtis gomphophylla''
*''
Celtis harperi
''Celtis'' is a genus of about 60–70 species of deciduous trees, commonly known as hackberries or nettle trees, widespread in warm temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The genus is part of the extended hemp family ( Cannabaceae).
Des ...
''
*''
Celtis hildebrandii
''Celtis'' is a genus of about 60–70 species of deciduous trees, commonly known as hackberries or nettle trees, widespread in warm temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The genus is part of the extended hemp family (Cannabaceae).
Desc ...
''
*''
Celtis hypoleuca
''Celtis hypoleuca'' is a species of plant in the family Cannabaceae. It is endemic to New Caledonia
)
, anthem = ""
, image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg
, map_alt = Location of New Ca ...
''
*''
Celtis iguanaea'' – iguana hackberry
*''
Celtis jamaicensis''
*''
Celtis jessoensis'' – Japanese hackberry
*''
Celtis julianae
''Celtis julianae'', the Julian hackberry, is a species of flowering plant in the family Cannabaceae, native to central and southern China. It is a fast-growing deciduous tree with gray bark reaching . In the wild it is typically found growing in ...
'' – Julian hackberry
*''
Celtis koraiensis
''Celtis koraiensis'', commonly known as the Korean hackberry is a deciduous tree in the genus ''Celtis''. The species is endemic to the Korean Peninsula and the north of China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), i ...
'' – Korean hackberry
*''
Celtis labilis'' – Hubei hackberry
*''
Celtis laevigata'' – southern or sugar hackberry , sugarberry
*''
Celtis latifolia''
*''
Celtis lindheimeri
''Celtis lindheimeri'', also called Lindheimer's hackberry, is a species of tree in the family Cannabaceae. It is typically found in areas of central Texas and northeastern Mexico. It has a height averaging 9 meters, and produces a reddish-brown ...
'' – Lindheimer's hackberry
*''
Celtis loxensis''
*''
Celtis luzonica
''Celtis luzonica'' is a species of plant in the family Cannabaceae. It is endemic to the Philippines. It is threatened by habitat loss
Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural ...
''
*''
Celtis madagascariensis
''Celtis madagascariensis'' is a species of flowering plant endemic to Madagascar.
Description
''Celtis madagascariensis'' is a small deciduous tree, growing 7 to 10 meters high. Its bark is smooth and whitish to grey. Its leaves are alternate, s ...
''
*''
Celtis mauritiana
''Celtis mauritiana'' is a species of flowering plant
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('containe ...
'' (syn. ''Celtis prantlii'' )
*''
Celtis mildbraedii
''Celtis mildbraedii'' is a species of forest tree in the family Cannabaceae. It was previously assigned to the family Ulmaceae. These trees grow in limited areas of South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. They are also found in forested areas fr ...
''
*''
Celtis neglecta''
*''
Celtis occidentalis'' – common or northern hackberry, false elm
*''
Celtis orthocanthos''
*''
Celtis pacifica''
*''
Celtis pallida
''Celtis ehrenbergiana'', called the desert hackberry or spiny hackberry, is a plant species that has long been called ''C. pallida'' by many authors, including in the "Flora of North America" database. It is native to Arizona, Florida, New Mexic ...
'' – desert or shiny hackberry
*''
Celtis paniculata'' – whitewood
*''
Celtis petenensis
''Celtis'' is a genus of about 60–70 species of deciduous trees, commonly known as hackberries or nettle trees, widespread in warm temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The genus is part of the extended hemp family (Cannabaceae).
Desc ...
''
*''
Celtis philippensis''
*''
Celtis punctata
''Celtis'' is a genus of about 60–70 species of deciduous trees, commonly known as hackberries or nettle trees, widespread in warm temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The genus is part of the extended hemp family ( Cannabaceae).
Des ...
''
*''
Celtis reticulata'' – netleaf hackberry
*''
Celtis rigescens
''Celtis'' is a genus of about 60–70 species of deciduous trees, commonly known as hackberries or nettle trees, widespread in warm temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The genus is part of the extended hemp family (Cannabaceae).
Desc ...
''
*''
Celtis rubrovenia
''Celtis'' is a genus of about 60–70 species of deciduous trees, commonly known as hackberries or nettle trees, widespread in warm temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The genus is part of the extended hemp family ( Cannabaceae).
Des ...
''
*''
Celtis salomonensis
''Celtis'' is a genus of about 60–70 species of deciduous trees, commonly known as hackberries or nettle trees, widespread in warm temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The genus is part of the extended hemp family (Cannabaceae).
Desc ...
''
*''
Celtis schippii
''Celtis schippii'' is a medium-sized evergreen tree
In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including o ...
''
*''
Celtis serratissima
''Celtis'' is a genus of about 60–70 species of deciduous trees, commonly known as hackberries or nettle trees, widespread in warm temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The genus is part of the extended hemp family ( Cannabaceae).
Des ...
''
*''
Celtis sinensis
''Celtis sinensis'' ( English: Chinese hackberry; Chinese: ; Japanese: ) is a species of flowering plant in the hemp family, Cannabaceae, that is native to slopes in East Asia.
Description
It is a tree that grows to 20 m tall, with decidu ...
'' – Chinese or Japanese hackberry, Chinese nettle tree
*''
Celtis solenostigma''
*''
Celtis spinosa''
*''
Celtis strychnoides''
*''
Celtis tala
''Celtis tala'' (or '' Celtis ehrenbergiana''), known as tala, is a medium size deciduous tree, native to tropical and subtropical South America. With small to medium-sized spines, its one of the main components of the Gran Chaco prairies and ce ...
'' – tala
*''
Celtis tenuifolia'' – dwarf hackberry
*''
Celtis tessmannii''
*''
Celtis tetrandra'' –
Nilgiri elm
*''
Celtis tikalana''
*''
Celtis timorensis'' – kayu busok
*''
Celtis toka
''Celtis toka'' is a medium-sized tree that commonly occurs adjacent to streams and rivers in the Sudanian-Sahel savannah climates of Tropical Africa but it can survive in drier habitats; it is also found of Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
Description ...
''
*''
Celtis tournefortii
''Celtis tournefortii'', commonly known as the oriental hackberry is a deciduous tree in the genus ''Celtis''.
The species is endemic to Southeastern Europe: Ukraine, Croatia, Bulgaria, Greece (including Crete), Sicily, Montenegro, North Macedo ...
'' – Oriental hackberry
*''
Celtis trinervia'' – almex
*''
Celtis vandervoetiana
''Celtis'' is a genus of about 60–70 species of deciduous trees, commonly known as hackberries or nettle trees, widespread in warm temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The genus is part of the extended hemp family (Cannabaceae).
Desc ...
''
*''
Celtis vitiensis''
*''
Celtis zenkeri
''Celtis zenkeri'' is a species of flowering plant native to sub-Saharan Africa.
Description
''Celtis zenkeri'' is a large tree, growing up to 30 to 50 meters high. It is fast-growing, growing up to 15 cm in height per year, and in Côte d’Ivo ...
''
Removed from genus
*''Trema cannabina'' (as ''C. amboinensis'' )
*''
Trema lamarckiana'' (as ''C. lamarckiana'' )
*''
Trema orientalis
''Trema orientale'' (sometimes spelled ''Trema orientalis'') is a species of flowering tree in the hemp family, Cannabaceae. The basionym of ''T. orientalis'', ''Celtis orientalis'' was originally described and published in ''Species P ...
'' (as ''C. guineensis'' or ''C. orientalis'' )
*''
Trema tomentosa
''Trema tomentosa'', commonly known as poison peach, is a shrub or tree in the family ''Cannabaceae'' native to the Indian subcontinent, south east Asia, through the islands of the south west Pacific, and the east coast and northern half of Austr ...
'' (as ''C. aspera'' or ''C. tomentosa'' )
Etymology
The generic name originated in
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power ...
and was applied by
Pliny the Elder
Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/2479), called Pliny the Elder (), was a Roman author, naturalist and natural philosopher, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the emperor Vespasian. He wrote the encyclopedic ...
to the unrelated ''
Ziziphus lotus''.
Distribution and habitat
The trees are widespread in warm
temperate
In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout t ...
regions of the
Northern Hemisphere, including
Southern Europe
Southern Europe is the southern region of Europe. It is also known as Mediterranean Europe, as its geography is essentially marked by the Mediterranean Sea. Definitions of Southern Europe include some or all of these countries and regions: Alba ...
,
South
South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþa ...
and
East Asia
East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The modern states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. China, North Korea, South Korea ...
, southern and central
North America, south and central
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
, and northern and central
South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the souther ...
.
Ecology
Some species, including common hackberry (''
C. occidentalis'') and ''
C. brasiliensis'', are
honey plant
Honeybees usually collect nectar, pollen, or both from the following species of plants, which are called honey plants, for making honey.
Acanthaceae (Acanthus family)
*'' Avicennia nitida'' Jacq. or Avicennia ...
s and a
pollen
Pollen is a powdery substance produced by seed plants. It consists of pollen grains (highly reduced microgametophytes), which produce male gametes (sperm cells). Pollen grains have a hard coat made of sporopollenin that protects the gametop ...
source for
honeybee
A honey bee (also spelled honeybee) is a eusocial flying insect within the genus ''Apis'' of the bee clade, all native to Afro-Eurasia. After bees spread naturally throughout Africa and Eurasia, humans became responsible for the current cos ...
s of lesser importance.
Lepidoptera
''Celtis'' species are used as food plants by the
caterpillar
Caterpillars ( ) are the larva, larval stage of members of the order Lepidoptera (the insect order comprising butterfly, butterflies and moths).
As with most common names, the application of the word is arbitrary, since the larvae of sawfly ...
s of certain
Lepidoptera. These include mainly
brush-footed butterflies, most importantly the distinct genus ''
Libythea
''Libythea'' is a widespread genus of nymphalid butterflies commonly called beaks or snouts. They are strong fliers and may even be migratory.
Classification
* Source The higher classification of Nymphalidae, at Nymphalidae.net* Note: Names p ...
'' (beak butterflies) and some
Apaturinae
The Apaturinae are a subfamily of butterflies that includes many species commonly called emperors.
Description
Strikingly-coloured, with cryptic underwing. A distinguishing character of the subfamily is the green proboscis.
Agathina emperor ( ...
(emperor butterflies):

*''
'' – common hedge blue, recorded on Chinese hackberry (''C. sinensis'')
*''
Automeris io'' – Io moth, recorded on
southern hackberry (''
C. laevigata'')
*''
Asterocampa celtis'' – hackberry butterfly or hackberry emperor
*''
Libythea celtis'' – European beak
*''
Libythea labdaca
''Libythea labdaca'', the African snout butterfly, is a member of the butterfly subfamily Libytheinae found in western and central Africa.
''Libythea laius'' was considered as a synonym earlier as it mostly similar to ''L. labdaca'' by sharing ...
'' – African beak
*''
Libythea lepita
''Libythea lepita'', the common beak, is a butterfly that belongs to the Libytheinae group of the brush-footed butterflies family. It is found from southern India to Japan and its larval food plants include members of the Cannabaceae, particul ...
'' – common beak
*''
Libythea myrrha'' – club beak, recorded on ''
C. tetrandra''
*''
Libytheana carinenta
The American snout or common snout butterfly (''Libytheana carinenta'') is a member of the subfamily Libytheinae in the brush-footed butterfly family, Nymphalidae. This species is found in both North and South America. The larval host plants are ...
'' – American snout or common snout butterfly
*''
Nymphalis xanthomelas'' – scarce tortoiseshell, recorded on
European hackberry
''Celtis australis'', the European nettle tree, Mediterranean hackberry, lote tree, or honeyberry, is a deciduous tree native to Southern Europe, North Africa, and Asia Minor. The tree was introduced to England in 1796.Hillier Nurseries Ltd. (19 ...
(''
C. australis'')
*''
Sasakia charonda'' – great purple emperor, recorded on ''
C. jessoensis'' and ''C. sinensis''
*A putative new
taxon
In biology, a taxon ( back-formation from '' taxonomy''; plural taxa) is a group of one or more populations of an organism or organisms seen by taxonomists to form a unit. Although neither is required, a taxon is usually known by a particular n ...
of the
two-barred flasher (''Astraptes fulgerator'')
cryptic species complex
In biology, a species complex is a group of closely related organisms that are so similar in appearance and other features that the boundaries between them are often unclear. The taxa in the complex may be able to hybridize readily with each o ...
, provisionally called "CELT," has hitherto only been found on ''
C. iguanaea''.
Pathogens
The
plant pathogen
Plant pathology (also phytopathology) is the scientific study of diseases in plants caused by pathogens (infectious organisms) and environmental conditions (physiological factors). Organisms that cause infectious disease include fungi, oomy ...
ic
basidiomycete
Basidiomycota () is one of two large divisions that, together with the Ascomycota, constitute the subkingdom Dikarya (often referred to as the "higher fungi") within the kingdom Fungi. Members are known as basidiomycetes. More specifically, Basi ...
fungus ''
Perenniporia celtis'' was first described from a ''Celtis'' host plant. Some species of ''Celtis'' are threatened by
habitat destruction
Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...
.
Uses
Several species are grown as
ornamental trees
Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that ...
, valued for their
drought tolerance. They are a regular feature of
arboreta and
botanical garden
A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens, an ...
s, particularly in North America. Chinese hackberry (''
C. sinensis'') is suited for
bonsai
Bonsai ( ja, 盆栽, , tray planting, ) is the Japanese art of growing and training miniature trees in pots, developed from the traditional Chinese art form of ''penjing''. Unlike ''penjing'', which utilizes traditional techniques to produce ...
culture; a magnificent specimen in Daegu-myeon is one of the
natural monuments of South Korea. The berries are generally edible when they ripen and fall. ''C. occidentalis'' fruit was used by the
Omaha, eaten casually, as well as the
Dakota people, who pounded them fine, seeds and all. The
Pawnee used the pounded fruits in combination with fat and parched corn.
Hackberry wood is sometimes used in cabinetry and woodworking. The berries of some, such as ''
C. douglasii'', are edible, and were consumed by the
Mescalero Apaches.
Gallery
File:Celtis aetnensis.jpg, ''C. aetnensis'' with mature fruit
File:Celtis-caucasica-fruit.JPG, Caucasian hackberry (''C.caucasica'') with immature fruit
File:Celtis integrifolia.jpg, African hackberry (''C.integrifolia'')
File:Celtis sinensis=Chinese Hackberry.jpg, Chinese hackberry (''C.sinensis'')
File:Celtis australis-StSauveur-4925~2015 10 31.JPG, ''C. australis'' autumn leaves
References
External links
*
*
{{Taxonbar, from=Q248582
Plants used in bonsai
Rosales genera