North Carolina Wildflowers

by Jeffrey S. Pippen | Back to Jeff's Plant Page | Jeff's Nature Pages


Ulmaceae > Celtis (hackberry)

Sugarberry (Celtis laevagata)
Orange Co., NC
15 Sep 2011

Common in the NC piedmont & coastal plain (uncommon in the mountains), Sugarberry is usually found in bottomlands, along creeks or other waterways, as well as in upland calcareous soils.

Sugarberry (Celtis laevagata)
Orange Co., NC
15 Sep 2011

Leaves show 3 strong veins emanating from the leaf base. Leaf bases often asymetric.

Sugarberry (Celtis laevagata)
Orange Co., NC
15 Sep 2011

Leaves may be smooth or slightly rough above. Leaves usually toothed but the toothing rarely extends to the base of the leaf.

Sugarberry (Celtis laevagata)
Orange Co., NC
15 Sep 2011

Sugarberry (Celtis laevagata)
Orange Co., NC
15 Sep 2011

Small tree.

Sugarberry (Celtis laevagata)
Orange Co., NC
15 Sep 2011

Medium size tree. Trunks usually look as if they've gotten into the middle of a mud-throwing fight.

Sugarberry (Celtis laevagata)
Orange Co., NC
15 Sep 2011

Sugarberry can be a large, canopy tree.


Dwarf Hackberry (Celtis tenuifolia) Dwarf Hackberry (Celtis tenuifolia)
Orange Co., NC
22 May 2008

Uncommon to fairly common statewide in North Carolina, Dwarf Hackberry grows in various habitats from woodlands to glades, often on high pH soils.

Dwarf Hackberry (Celtis tenuifolia) Dwarf Hackberry (Celtis tenuifolia)
Orange Co., NC
22 May 2008

Leaves are relatively wider and more toothed than Sugarberry.

Dwarf Hackberry (Celtis tenuifolia) Dwarf Hackberry (Celtis tenuifolia)
Orange Co., NC
22 May 2008

Ripening hackberries. The fruits are relished by several species of birds.

Dwarf Hackberry (Celtis tenuifolia) Dwarf Hackberry (Celtis tenuifolia)
Orange Co., NC
22 May 2008

The leaves are enjoyed by many species of insects including 3 species of butterfly caterpillars (Hackberry Emperor, Tawny Emperor, and American Snout).

Dwarf Hackberry (Celtis tenuifolia) Dwarf Hackberry (Celtis tenuifolia)
Orange Co., NC
29 Oct 2008

Same tree as above, now with ripe fruits. Note relatively short peduncles which help distinguish this species from the rarer C. occidentalis (which has relatively longer peduncles).

Dwarf Hackberry (Celtis tenuifolia) Dwarf Hackberry (Celtis tenuifolia)
Orange Co., NC
29 Oct 2008

Dwarf Hackberry (Celtis tenuifolia) Dwarf Hackberry (Celtis tenuifolia)
Orange Co., NC
22 May 2008

Bark is bumpy/warty, as if someone threw bits of mud at it. Pictured here is a relatively small tree trunk.


Annotated habitat and distribution information listed above is from Radford, Ahles, & Bell. 1968. Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas. UNC Press; and from personal observations and discussions with Will Cook, Harry LeGrand, and Bob Wilbur. Common names from personal experience and supplemented by the following resources USDA plants website, Flora of the Carolinas, Virginia, and Georgia, and NatureServe.


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Created on ... June 8, 2008 | jeffpippen9@gmail.com