Hackberry
Scientific name: Celtis australis L.
Family name: Cannabaceae
MORPHOLOGY
Growth habit and size: Deciduous tree up to 25 m tall, which can reach up to 600 years of age. It has a straight, massive trunk with a dense, globular crown.
Bark: Ash gray, smooth, tends to crack with age.
Leaves: Simple, alternate, ovate-lanceolate, with an asymmetrical base and finely serrated margins. Dark green on the upper surface, lighter on the lower surface.
Flowers: Greenish-yellow male flowers grouped in corymbs. Hermaphrodite and female flowers are solitary and borne in the apical portions of the branches. They appear in spring along with the leaves.
Fruits and seeds: Oval drupes with blackish flesh. They are edible but are mainly a source of food for birds.
DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT
Native to the Mediterranean basin, it grows in formations with holm oak, manna ash and hornbeam. It prefers cool, well-drained soil. It can withstand low temperatures but is found only up to 700 m above sea level.
USE
Due to its adaptability and resistance to periods of severe drought, this species is used in reforestation and roadside tree planting, as it also tolerates pollution well. Its wood was used in the past to make oars, billiard cues, rifle stocks, and whips. Yellow dye is extracted from the bark and roots, used for dyeing silk fabrics.
The leaves are often used in herbal medicine. Some believe they have astringent, anti-diarrheal and refreshing properties. They are dried to prepare infusions and decoctions. Before taking any plant-based product (medicinal or non-medicinal) for therapeutic or similar purposes, it is always advisable to consult a doctor.
The fruits can be used to make liqueurs.
INTERESTING FACTS
The hackberry tree is also called “spaccasassi” (stone breaker), due to the ability of its robust roots to even break stones. The seeds of this species are very hard, so much so that they were used for making rosaries, hence the name rosary tree.
The 2016 APG IV classification, based on molecular phylogenetics, includes seven genera previously attributed to Ulmaceae in the Cannabaceae family, including the genus Celtis to which hackberry belongs.
Photo: Kindly provided by Valentina Gussoni
