Common Hackberry vs River Birch - TreeTime.ca

Common Hackberry vs River Birch

Celtis occidentalis

Betula nigra

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Common Hackberry
River Birch

The Common Hackberry is a medium-sized deciduous tree that resembles the American Elm but is immune to Dutch Elm Disease. They are versatile and can adapt to a variety of growing conditions.

It produces purple-red, berry-like fruit with a large seed in the center. Both the sweet flesh, which tastes similar to dates, and the crunchy seed are edible. The fruit remains on the tree throughout the winter, offering a valuable food source for birds and other wildlife.

The Common Hackberry can also be a great addition to a pollinator garden. The tree itself is a host for the larvae of several butterfly species and the flowers provide a source of pollen and nectar.

River Birch has beautiful, peeling, brown bark that reveals camel-colored and pink beneath. It is more borer resistant than white bark birches, which makes it a much longer-lived landscape tree.

Common Hackberry Quick Facts

River Birch Quick Facts

Zone: 2b
Zone: 3a
Height: 25 m (82 ft)
Height: 12 m (39 ft)
Spread: 7 m (24 ft)
Spread: 5 m (16 ft)
Moisture: any
Moisture: normal, wet
Light: full sun
Light: full sun
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: yes
Berries: black, edible
Flavor: sweet
Harvest: late fall to winter
Bark: dark gray-brown or pinkish-brown and scaly
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: long
Life span: medium
Suckering: high
Suckering: low




Other Names: american hackberry, beaverwood, false elm, nettle tree, northern hackberry
Other Names: black birch, water birch