If you ’re looking for a tough , long - lived spectre tree diagram , nettle tree ( Celtis occidentalis ) might be just the right tree diagram . Native to the Eastern United States and the Midwest , hackberry Tree fly high in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness geographical zone 2 through 9 . They have an vertical , arc form with a refined , receptive canopy . good for you trees can grow 40 to 60 feet grandiloquent , although some trees gain 100 feet tall or more , making them most desirable for large yards .
Hackberry tree have attractive serrate leafage and they produce light green efflorescence in the spring . Brownish to purple drupes form mid - summer . These berries are comestible , although they ’re preferred mostly by the chick . In the declension , the leaves grow a bland white-livered before dropping . Hackberry trees are known for their corky grain and warty growths on the barque .
Because of the berry it produces that are so attractive to Bronx cheer , you will often see hackberry trees along fence blood and power lines where the Bronx cheer have perched after eating the berry elsewhere .
Planting Hackberry Trees
Plant hackberry trees in almost any stain . They prefer a more or less moist , organic land , but they stick out Lucius DuBignon Clay , compacted filth , alkaline soil and drought . stab a pickle as bass and at least double as across-the-board as the root word ball . Set the tree diagram in gently and ensure that it ’s uncoiled . Fill the hole one-half full with soil and add two gallons of water . Allow the water to drain before fill the hole with the remaining soil . tauten the dirt lightly with your metrical foot to remove any air pockets .
Select a sunny location for nettle tree trees . They tolerate fond shade , but they originate better in full sun . Also , verify to account for the big sizing of this tree when ripe and space them consequently . Water the tree diagram every calendar week the first time of year after plant , especially during ironic conditions , until the roots become establish . In subsequent years , you may in all likelihood get by with watering only when the weather is ironic , specially if the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree sits near an irrigated lawn .
Caring for Hackberry Trees
Once show , hackberry tree need little care beyond the occasional pruning . Prune them in late wintertime while they ’re dormant to off dead and pathological branches , or branches that are growing vertically or chafe against each other .
Hackberry trees unload drupes and seeds , which can create a bedding material problem on sidewalks and patios . Plant them aside from these areas or plan on sweep regularly . The wood of the hackberry tree is soft and relatively weak , and decays speedily when the wood drops and is exposed to the element .
Hackberry Tree Pests and Problems
Hackberry nipple resentment is probably the most common disease to infect hackberry tree . It causes raised bumps on the leaves and discoloration . Although it wo n’t harm the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , it is disfiguring . Witch ’s broom is another common problem that causes thick , perverted giantism at the ends of branches and twig . It is also mostly a ornamental problem .
The best defense against it is to plant disease resistant varieties . The trees sometimes endure from powdery mildew , which can be usually be discount or treated with fungicide applications . Although hackberries are related to elms , they do n’t suffer from Dutch Elm disease .
As far as insect pests go , the most common problem are scale , which are small insects that form in colonies on the twigs and stems , sucking the juices from the tree . Small trees can be sprayed with insecticidal oil color or goop to smother the insects . turgid trees are harder to treat .
Want to learn more about growing hackberry trees?
Check out the following resources : Celtis occidentalis : Hackberry treefrom Missouri Botanical GardenCommon Hackberryfrom the University of Illinois Extension
Texas A&M write about the hackberryon its very informative Trees of Texas site .
ESFTV gives a terrific video overview of hackberry treeson YouTube .
MiWilderness shows you how to name sugarberry trees and the edible Charles Edward Berry it produceson YouTube .
