Common Hackberry
Celtis occidentalis
native
Other Names:
Nettletree, Sugarberry, Beaverwood, Hackberry, American Hackberry
The Common Hackberry is a native deciduous tree found through much of Virginia. It can grow to a height of 80 feet, and its cork-like bark has warty protuberances. It is a host tree for several butterflies, including the Mourning Cloak, Question Mark, Hackberry Emperor, and Tawny Emperor, and the caterpillars of numerous moths feed on it. It hosts an array of other arthropods, including Hackberry Lace Bugs, Hackberry Plant Bugs, Hackberry Mites, and Hackberry Psyllids, the latter of whom form small galls on the leaves. The berries are eaten by a variety of birds and mammals. The name "Hackberry" might come from the Scottish "hagberry", which means "marsh berry", a term applied to a different tree species in Scotland.
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