Common Hackberry
Celtis occidentalis · Cannabaceae (Cannabis and Hackberry family)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Leaf Morphology
Leaf Type
Simple, deciduous leaf
Shape
Ovates to lanceolate with distinct asymmetrical (unequal) base and an acuminate (tapering) tip
Margin
Serrate (coarsely toothed) along the middle to the apex, often entire near the asymmetrical base
Arrangement
Alternate arrangement along slender, zigzagging twigs
Venation
Pinnate venation with three prominent veins radiating prominently from the asymmetrical base, making it strongly tri-nerved
Key Features
Asymmetrical leaf base with three prominent basal veins, sharply toothed margins, and uniquely corky, warty bark on the mature trunk
Description
The Common Hackberry is a medium to large deciduous tree recognized most easily by its distinctive, corky, wart-ridged bark and delicate, wands of asymmetrical foliage. The tree forms a broad, rounded crown with pendulous branchlets. In autumn, the foliage turns a modest yellow before dropping.
Habitat
Typically found in rich, moist bottomland soils, floodplains, and along streams, but highly adaptable to rocky uplands and disturbed urban environments with full sun to partial shade
Native Range
Native to eastern and central North America, stretching from southern Canada down to northern Florida, and westward to the Rocky Mountains