Common Hackberry Leaves

Leaves

• The tree has alternate, elm-like leaves that are 2 to 5 inches long and 1 to 3 inches wide. Leaf shape is narrow to broadly oval with serrated margins and a rounded base. The main, central vein and the two lateral veins grow from the base. The color of the foliage upper sides ranges between yellow green and light green to medium green with a smooth to rough texture. The undersides of the foliage are a lighter color and have hair along the veins. The leaves grow on 2- to 3-inch-long, slender, fuzzy petioles. The foliage assumes yellow shades in the fall.

Size and Form

• Common hackberry grows to a mature height of 40 to 80 feet with a straight trunk measuring 1 to 2 feet in diameter. Trees that are growing in the open develop shorter trunks and a larger, more rounded crown. The trunk color ranges between gray and brownish-gray, and the trunk has wart-like, irregular ridges that add interest to the tree's form. The bark of mature trees becomes increasingly rough. The twigs are smooth-textured and green to dark reddish-gray in color.

Flowers

• Hackberry produces the male, female and perfect flowers all on the same tree. The small yellowish-green flowers are about 1/4 inch wide and have four to five oblong sepals. The male flowers have four to five stamens with yellowish-brown anthers, while female flowers have an oval green ovary. The flowers grow in clusters of two or three from leaf axils and are wind-pollinated, leading to 1/3-inch-long fruit referred to as drupes. The oval fruit contains a single seed and is dark purple, orange or brown.

Growth Conditions

• The long-lived tree has a lifespan of 150 to 200 years and adapts to a variety of soil types, preferring fertile, well-drained loam. Plant common hackberry in areas of full to partial sun for best growth. The tree is drought-tolerant in the absence of water and is hardy in USDA Zone 2 to Zone 9. Propagation is easy with seeds planted outdoors during the fall, with the seedlings germinating during the spring. The primary use of the tree is as a shade and accent tree.