Sugarberry (Celtis laevigata)

Native to southern and south-central United States, the sugarberry is a relative to the hackberry, often called southern hackberry.  However, the sugarberry leaves are slightly different (more narrow with smooth edges), the bark has a different texture, and the fruit is sweeter.  When young, it is difficult to tell the trees apart.  In fact - that is how we have one in the Outdoor Learning Lab.  Our goal was to only plant trees native to our region of Indiana (or cultivars of native trees).  The tree we planted was labeled hackberry, and the tree label we made says hackberry.  However, after a few years, we discovered that it is actually a sugarberry!

Sugarberries grow to 60 to 80 feet, and adapts to a wide range of soil conditions, making it an excellent choice in urban areas and natural areas alike.  The bark eventually grows to a warty texture, on trunks that typically grow to around three feet in diameter.  The sugarberry flowers in early spring with small, inconspicuous green flowers.  Flowers grow individually (female flowers) or in clumps (male flowers).  If pollinated, the resulting fruit is fleshy, truns purple when ripe, and is edible.  The fruit is enjoyed by a wide variety of wildlife.

References:

Missouri Botanical Garden. “Celtis laevigata'” Plant Finder, https://plantfinder.mobot.org/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=287403.

Words and Photos by Sarah Cote. 2026