Common Hackberry vs Tulip Tree - TreeTime.ca

Common Hackberry vs Tulip Tree

Celtis occidentalis

Liriodendron tulipifera

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2026)

Common Hackberry
Tulip Tree

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.

Tulip Tree is the perfect shade tree for wide open spaces. It has a shallow and extensive root system, so ensure you give it space to grow. The attractive and showy, yellow-orange, tulip shaped flowers are where this tree gets its name.

Tulip Tree is somewhat rare in Canada but highly sought after as it is difficult to grow. Does best in a moist, well-drained soil.

Common Hackberry Quick Facts

Tulip Tree Quick Facts

Zone: 2b
Zone: 4a
Height: 25 m (82 ft)
Height: 24 m (80 ft)
Spread: 7 m (24 ft)
Spread: 14 m (45 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: any
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: long
Life span: long
Growth form: upright, oval to pyramidal
Spreading: seeds - low
Suckering: high
Suckering: none


Foliage: 4-lobed somewhat spade-shaped
Fall colour: golden yellow
Flowers: greenish yellow, tulip-shaped
Bloom time: spring to early summer
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: ON
Other Names: american hackberry, beaverwood, false elm, nettle tree, northern hackberry
Other Names: canoewood, tulip poplar, tulip-poplar, tuliptree, yellow poplar