Common Hackberry vs Mayday Cherry - TreeTime.ca

Common Hackberry vs Mayday Cherry

Celtis occidentalis

Prunus padus

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2025)

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Common Hackberry
Mayday Cherry

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.

Mayday Cherry is a small deciduous tree known for its early blooming and fragrant white flowers.

A favourite specimen tree on prairie homesteads, Mayday Cherry produces small black berries that are inedible to people but highly desirable to birds.

Common Hackberry Quick Facts

Mayday Cherry Quick Facts

Zone: 2b
Zone: 3a
Height: 25 m (82 ft)
Height: 9 m (30 ft)
Spread: 7 m (24 ft)
Spread: 8 m (25 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: full sun
Moisture: any
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: medium
Life span: long
Life span: short
Suckering: high
Suckering: low


Toxicity: seeds and leaves are toxic if ingested
Flowers: early blooming, white
Fruit: small black berries
Berries: black, edible
Berries: small black berries
Flavor: sweet
Harvest: late fall to winter
Seeds: located within the berries
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: MB, ON, QC
Other Names: american hackberry, beaverwood, false elm, nettle tree, northern hackberry
Other Names: common bird cherry, european bird cherry