Common Hackberry vs Basswood (American Linden) - TreeTime.ca

Common Hackberry vs Basswood (American Linden)

Celtis occidentalis

Tilia americana

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Common Hackberry
Basswood (American Linden)

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.

Basswood, also known as American Linden, provides shade and fragrant flowers with characteristically attractive leaves and branching.

It typically has a large uniformly round crown with a straight branch free trunk.

Basswood is typically found along streams and lakes or at the bottom of slopes where the ground is moist.

Common Hackberry Quick Facts

Basswood (American Linden) Quick Facts

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Zone: 2b
Zone: 3a
Height: 25 m (82 ft)
Height: 33 m (110 ft)
Spread: 7 m (24 ft)
Spread: 12 m (40 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: any
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: long
Life span: long
Suckering: high
Suckering: none


Foliage: thick, heart shaped leaves
Flowers: mid-June to mid-july creamy yellow, fragant
Fruit: many, nutlike
Berries: black, edible
Flavor: sweet
Harvest: late fall to winter
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: MB, ON, QC
Native to: MB, ON, QC, NB
Other Names: american hackberry, beaverwood, false elm, nettle tree, northern hackberry
Other Names: american linden