Scientific Name
Celtis laevigata
The sugarberry is a close relative of the common hackberry and has very similar leaves. It is somewhat less cold hardy, however, and has only been planted sparingly in our region. The two species can be difficult to distinguish, so it’s possible that more sugarberries are present in the urban forest than we realize.
Its native range extends from east Texas across the southern states and up the East Coast to around Norfolk, Virginia, overlapping on the northern edge with common hackberry. Despite some concern about cold hardiness, enough trees have matured in the Denver area to suggest that, with northern seed sources, it can perform reliably here. Even so, it may still be considered a more adventurous planting choice. For those seeking a dependable tree for tough sites, common hackberry remains the safer option.
Sugarberry is typically somewhat smaller than common hackberry but can still reach about 50 feet in height. Its leaves have smoother edges and tend to droop slightly. They resemble elm leaves, which helps explain why Celtis species were once classified in the elm family, though their fruits and seeds differ significantly. More recently, they have been placed in the hemp family.
This species shows good resistance to witches’ broom and some resistance to hackberry nipple gall. The fruit is a small purple drupe that is sweet but not very fleshy, though still appealing to birds, which help disperse the seeds. As with hackberry, it rarely becomes invasive. The bark is another distinguishing feature, remaining relatively smooth and more reminiscent of beech, lacking the coarse ridges of common hackberry, though older trees may develop some wart-like texture.