Common Hackberry vs Red Elderberry - TreeTime.ca

Common Hackberry vs Red Elderberry

Celtis occidentalis

Sambucus racemosa

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2025)

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Common Hackberry
Red Elderberry

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.

Red Elderberry is an attractive, medium-sized deciduous shrub.

It produces clusters of white flowers in the spring and bright red berry-like drupes, which provide beautiful contrast against its coarse, textured green foliage.

Red Elder can be pruned as a small single or multi-stemmed tree.

Common Hackberry Quick Facts

Red Elderberry Quick Facts

Zone: 2b
Zone: 2a
Height: 25 m (82 ft)
Height: 4 m (13 ft)
Spread: 7 m (24 ft)
Spread: 3 m (10 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: any
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: long
Life span: medium
Suckering: high
Suckering: none


Toxicity: toxic to humans
Flowers: white
Berries: black, edible
Berries: bright red berries
Flavor: sweet
Harvest: late fall to winter
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Other Names: american hackberry, beaverwood, false elm, nettle tree, northern hackberry
Other Names: red elder