# Hackberry tree



## doublebowgoats (Mar 6, 2008)

Does anyone have anything to say about hackberry trees? Like, are they messy or invasive or nice? We just found a few down by the dry creek here on our property. I couldn't find them on any poison plant list and did find a couple of recipes using them. We will have seeds if anyone wants any.


----------



## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

Celtis (Ulmaceae)
Hackberry, Nettle Tree
Genus of decidious trees, with inconspicuous flowers in spring, grown for their foliage and small fruits. Fully hardy. Needs full sun (doing best in hot summers) and fertile, well drained soil. Propagate by seed in autumn.

The American Horticultural Society: Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, p.432, Copyright 1989 by Dorling Kindersly Publishers Limited.

Tam


----------



## linbee (Jul 7, 2010)

We have a bunch of hackberry trees - we always called them "junk trees" when I was growing up. They can be invasive but easily controlled. I have always thought they were just nothing special and nothing terrible - just there! I've never grown one from seed since they re-seed themselves. They have lived through our hot summers, occasional winter freezes, and floods. I have never noticed any flowers, but the birds eat the berries.


----------



## Sharpgoat (Feb 7, 2008)

My goats love Hackberry tree and in the fall they run to the trees to eat the fallen leaves.
Fran

http://www.buckmanager.com/2008/05/08/hackberry-provides-excellent-browse-and-mast/


----------



## buckrun (Mar 7, 2008)

Here too Fran and luckily they cannot chew thru that great gnarly bark to kill them!


----------



## buckrun (Mar 7, 2008)

http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=cela

Check out the hackberry emperor!


----------



## doublebowgoats (Mar 6, 2008)

Oh, thanks for all the info! Y'all have given me just what I needed to know. I have tons of those butterflies also but didn't know what kind they were. In Howard Garrett's book, he listed it as a junk tree so I am so glad I asked around. It sounds like good goat fodder and probably not much chance of becoming invasive with goats around.


----------



## Sharpgoat (Feb 7, 2008)

Lee, Last year in the fall we had thousands of hackberry emperor feeding on tall fall grasses in bloom.
It was like fall leaves flying it was so neat I would go for a walk when the sun was setting and the light was golden.
Thank you for reminding of the Hackberry Butterflies.
Fran


----------



## buckrun (Mar 7, 2008)

Sounds so beautiful. Don has been painting butterflies on our pottery recently. 
We are excited to have another native to add to the lineup. 

On a related but hijacking topic.... 
Has anyone noticed that Catalpa caterpillars are no longer around?
We have several very large trees that are solid bouquets in spring and the caterpillars used to strip the trees naked by late spring but there is not one hole in one leaf the past few years. There is a wasp that is parasitic on them but surely not whole trees full of them. It is a hawkmoth that lays eggs and we still have them on our squash at night but not on the trees. Anyone else notice this? It's rather worrisome!


----------



## Sharpgoat (Feb 7, 2008)

I don't have Catalpa Trees but do have hawkmoth on my Four o clocks at night.
I just went to your Blog the Butterflies are wonderful and that rooster is even better.
I love it you are giving me a gift idea.
Fran


----------



## buckrun (Mar 7, 2008)

I am awful about keeping up with the blog and need to do better!
Most of my posts of new work are on FB.


----------

