Get to Know Our Natives by Nature
This month, we will Get to Know our native Northern Hackberry.
Scientific name: Celtis occidentalis
Northern hackberry can grow up to 15 metres tall. Bluish-green leaves turn yellow in fall.
Where it Grows: Northern hackberry is found across Southern Ontario from Windsor to the Ottawa Valley, as far north as the southern edge of the Canadian Shield. Grows best in moist, well-drained soils, but has some tolerance for drought and flooding.
Fact: Produce red to purple berries with a pitted stone. Fruit stays on tree throughout winter.
Note: Northern hackberry fruits are a food source for wildlife, especially birds and small mammals. Fruits are also a reliable food source for winter birds such as robins. The trees host butterflies such as hackberry emperor and provide shelter to birds.
