Common Hackberry vs Showy Mountain Ash - TreeTime.ca

Common Hackberry vs Showy Mountain Ash

Celtis occidentalis

Sorbus decora

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2025)

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2025)

Common Hackberry
Showy Mountain Ash

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.

Showy Mountain Ash is a hardy accent tree. It features pretty clusters of white flowers in spring followed by bright scarlet berries lasting into winter.

Great for small landscapes, Showy Mountain Ash is adaptable to both dry and moist locations, and it is suitable for average home landscape conditions.

Common Hackberry Quick Facts

Showy Mountain Ash Quick Facts

Zone: 2b
Zone: 2a
Height: 25 m (82 ft)
Height: 12 m (40 ft)
Spread: 7 m (24 ft)
Spread: 3 m (10 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: any
Moisture: any
Moisture: normal
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: fast
Life span: long
Life span: medium
Suckering: high
Suckering: low


Fall colour: reddish-orange
Flowers: white, showy clusters
Berries: black, edible
Berries: redberries in bunches
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: dogberry