E: Common Hackberry
Celtis Occidentalis
This tree is one of the largest Hackberries in Prince William County! Its diameter is 46 inches, and circumference is 145 inches.
Hackberry is a medium-sized hardwood native to the central United States. It prefers to grow in moist areas along rivers or streams. However, it is tolerant of many conditions and can even be found growing on rocky outcrops with little water. Birds and mammals enjoy eating the hackberry fruits, which have a sweet taste and ripen in the fall.
You can identify a Hackberry tree by its unique “warty” and ridged bark. Its leaves are oval-shaped with serrated edges and many veins.
Do you see the two huge grape vines climbing up this tree? Can you tell where they start and end? These native vines provide additional habitat and food for wildlife, and they aren’t as harmful to the tree as invasive vines like Japanese honeysuckle and oriental bittersweet.
