Chinese Hackberry (Celtis sinensis) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

Chinese hackberry is an East Asian shade tree that is occasionally planted in the United States. Its lopsided leaf bases, teeth mostly on the upper half of each leaf, and small orange-red fruit help separate it from native hackberries.

Appearance

Appearance: This tree commonly reaches 40–50 ft (12–15 m) tall and wide, with a broad, rounded crown and gray bark.
Growth form: It grows quickly when young and may produce shoots from the base, but most new wild plants begin from dispersed seed.
Leaves: The alternate leaves are oval with an uneven base. Blunt teeth are concentrated toward the pointed upper half.
Flowers: The small greenish flowers are easy to overlook and appear with new growth in spring.
Fruit: Small fleshy fruits ripen from green to orange or red-brown. Birds eat the fruit.

Look-alikes

common hackberryCeltis occidentalis

Common hackberry usually has deeply ridged or warty bark and fruit that ripens purple to black. Chinese hackberry has smoother mottled gray bark and orange to red-brown ripe fruit.

Why they get mixed upThe two trees share uneven-based, toothed leaves and small round fruit.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: parks
large gardens
roadsides
Range: It is native across parts of East and Southeast Asia, not the United States. In the U.S. it is mainly a planted landscape tree and may spread from seed where the climate suits it.
Preferred conditions: It grows in full sun in moist, well-drained soil but tolerates drought, wind, urban conditions, and a wide range of soils. It is suited to USDA zones 7a–11b.

Growing it

Propagation: It can be propagated from seed or stem cuttings.

Name and classification

About the name: Japanese plants have also been called Celtis sinensis var. japonica.

Conservation

IUCN Red List: LCLeast ConcernLow risk of extinction

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