Sugarberry
Celtis laevigata
This huge sugarberry tree at the Morton Arboretum is 72 years old
Family Ulmaceae – Zelkova, Hackberry, Elm. Also called sugar hackberry, Texas sugarberry, lowland hackberry, or palo blanco (white hair).
Sugarberry is a native deciduous tree growing to 60 to 100 feet [18-30 m]. Sugarberry has a moderately long life span, not usually living over 150 years.
Sugarberry blooms when the leaves first appear in spring, from March to May, depending on latitude. Fruit appears in July and August, ripening into October. The fruit is retained on the tree until midwinter [2].
The fruits of sugarberry are eaten by many birds, including the ring-necked pheasant, waterfowl, quail, and ruffed grouse. They are a preferred food of turkeys in fall and winter.
North American Insects & Spiders
Online since 2002
