Sugarberry

Scientific Name: Celtis laevigata Willd.

Sugarberry

General Information
Usda Symbol	CELA
Group	Dicot
Life Cycle	Perennial
Growth Habits	ShrubTree,
Native Locations	CELA

Plant Guide

Alternate Names

Texas sugarberry

Uses

Ethnobotanic: Sugarberry was used by a variety of Native American tribes, The Houma used a concentrate made from the bark to treat sore throats and a decoction made from the bark and ground up shells to treat venereal disease, The Comanche would beat the fruits of sugarberry to a pulp, The pulp was then mixed with animal fat, rolled into balls, and roasted in the fire for food, The Acoma, Navajo, and Tewa all consumed the berries for food, The Navajo boiled the leaves and branches to make dark brown and red dye for wool, , Use soil moisture sensors to measure the soil moisture of Sugarberry.

Status

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s current status (e.g. threatened or endangered species, state noxious status, and wetland indicator values).

Description

General: Elm Family (Ulmaceae). Sugarberry is a tree that can become up to 30 m tall and 1m in diameter. It has a broad crown formed by spreading branches, that are often drooped. The bark is light gray in color and can be smooth or covered with corky warts. The branchlets are covered with short hairs at first and eventually they become smooth. The leaves are alternated, simple, and slightly serrate. The leaves are 5 to 13 cm long and 3 to 5 cm wide. The lance-shaped leaves gradually taper to a point that is often curved. They are pale green on both the upper and lower surfaces with conspicuous veins. The flowers appear just before, or with the leaves in the spring. The drupes are subspherical and 5 to 8 mm in diameter. They have a thick skin and the pit surface has a netlike pattern. The drupes range in color from orange to reddish-brown and are attached by pedicels that are 6 to 15 mm long. Distribution: For current distribution, please consult the Plant Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Web site. Habitat: Sugarberry is found growing in sandy loam or rocky soils along streams, in bottomlands, and in woodlands.

Adaptation

When sugarberry is top-killed by fire it will resprout from the root collar.

Establishment

Sugarberry can be propagated by seed and cuttings, planted in autumn. Sugarberry has no preference for a particular soil type.

Pests and Potential Problems

Grown in its native habitat and using local seed stock, sugarberry should not be prone to debilitating pests. Cultivars, Improved, and Selected Materials (and area of origin) These materials are readily available from commercial plant sources. Contact your local Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly Soil Conservation Service) office for more information. Look in the phone book under ”United States Government.” The Natural Resources Conservation Service will be listed under the subheading “Department of Agriculture.”

Fact Sheet

Alternate Names

Texas sugarberry, sugar hackberry, hackberry, palo blanco, southern hackberry, and lowland hackberry

Uses

Conservation: Sugarberry is used in native landscaping and habitat restorations, and windbreaks. Ethnobotanic: Sugarberry was used by a variety of Native American tribes. The Houma used a concentrate made from the bark to treat sore throats and a decoction made from the bark and ground up shells to treat venereal disease. The Comanche would beat the fruits of sugarberry to a pulp. The pulp was then mixed with animal fat, rolled into balls, and roasted in the fire for food. The Acoma, Navajo, and Tewa all consumed the berries for food. The Navajo boiled the leaves and branches to make dark brown and red dye for wool. Wildlife: Many species of songbirds including mockingbirds and robins eat the fruit and use the tree for nesting habitat. It is a larval and nectar host for two butterflies: hackberry emperor (Asterocampa celtis) and American snout (Libytheana carineta). White-tailed deer browse the leaves and fruit. Other Uses: Sugarberry is used for furniture, athletic goods, firewood, and plywood. It has limited use for flooring, creating, and for wood posts. It is used as an ornamental and as a street tree in residential areas in the lower South

Status

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s current status (e, Use soil moisture sensors to measure the soil moisture of Sugarberry.,g, threatened or endangered species, state noxious status, and wetland indicator values),

Description and Adaptation

Adaptation

Adaptation

Sugarberry is a native tree that can grow up to 80 feet in height and up to 3 feet in diameter. It is a short lived tree, probably living not more than 150 years. It has a broad crown formed by spreading branches that are often drooped. The bark is light gray in color and can be smooth or covered with corky warts. The branchlets are covered with short hairs at first and eventually they become smooth. The leaves are alternated, simple, and slightly serrate. The leaves are 2-4 inches long and 1 to 2 inches wide. The lance-shaped leaves gradually taper to a point that is often curved. They are pale green on both the upper and lower surfaces with conspicuous veins. The flowers appear just before or with the leaves in the spring. The drupes or fruit have a thick skin and the surface has a netlike pattern. They will range in color from orange to reddish-brown. Sugarberry is found growing in sandy loam or rocky soils along streams, in bottomlands, and in woodlands. Distribution: Sugarberry ranges south from southeastern Virginia to southern Florida, west to central Texas and northeastern Mexico, and north to western Oklahoma, southern Kansas, Missouri, southern Illinois, southern Indiana, and western Kentucky. It is localized in Maryland, the Rio Grande Valley, and northeastern Mexico. Its range overlaps the southern part of the range of common hackberry (C. occidentalis). Please consult the Plant Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Web site.