Common Hackberry vs Brandon Elm - TreeTime.ca

Common Hackberry vs Brandon Elm

Celtis occidentalis

Ulmus americana Brandon

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2025)

CUSTOM GROW

Common Hackberry
Brandon Elm

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.

Brandon Elm is a hardy and adaptable tree. Its dark green foliage turns brilliant gold in the fall.

This cultivar of the American Elm is long-lived and fast growing. Due to its smaller and more compact form than its cousin, the American Elm, Brandon Elm it is often preferred for home landscapes where it can command the extra money required to propagate it.

Common Hackberry Quick Facts

Brandon Elm Quick Facts

Zone: 2b
Zone: 2a
Height: 25 m (82 ft)
Height: 12 m (39 ft)
Spread: 7 m (24 ft)
Spread: 8 m (26 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: any
Moisture: any
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: long
Life span: long
Suckering: high
Suckering: none


Fall colour: golden yellow
Berries: black, edible
Flavor: sweet
Harvest: late fall to winter
Seeds: samara
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


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