Campus Tree Tour
Ulmaceae – Elm Family / Cannabaceae – Hemp Family
We list both families as we are in a transition period where the new designation (Cannabaceae) is not yet fully adopted.
In 2024, this sugarberry was 68.8 feet tall and had a diameter of 18 inches. Based on USDA Forest Service models it will absorb approximately 230 lbs. of carbon over the next 20 years. Put simply, this tree alone will offset up to 930 car miles worth of carbon dioxide.
See all species on our Campus Tree Tour.
Introduction
Sugarberry is a fast-growing tree native to the Southeastern United States. It is easily recognized in natural and urban areas by its distinctive grey, “warty” bark and bright green deciduous leaves. Traditionally, indigenous people used the leaves, bark, and berries from the tree for medicine and dye.
Physical Description
Life expectancy: Up to 150 years
Height: 80 – 100 feet
Crown: 50 to 60 feet
Diameter: Up to 36 inches
Bark: Light grey and brown with distinct wart-like appendages that vary from scattered to abundant on the trunk. Bumpy to the touch.
Leaves: Deciduous, simple, and alternately arranged on the twig. Lanceolate (lance shaped) with a pointed tip and a variably entire to serrate margin (toothed edge). Green and glabrous (no hair) on top with slight pubescence (hairs) underneath the leaf and with an inequilateral (asymmetrical) base.
Flowers: Not showy, greenish white flowers that flower in the spring
Fruits: Small (1/3 inch), round, fleshy drupes that turn orange to purple upon ripening. Matures in the fall.
Key Identification Characteristics: warty bark, leaf shape
Past and Present Uses
Indigenous tribes had a variety of uses for sugarberry. The Houma prepared the bark to treat sore throats and venereal diseases, while other tribes like the Acoma, Navajo, and Tewa used the berries for food. They would also create dark brown and red dye for wool from boiled leaves and branches.
Currently, sugarberry has limited use in the timber market. When mixed with hackberry, small amounts of wood are used for dimension stock, veneer, and containers. Sugarberry wood is also used for pulpwood and for furniture since its light color provides a finish that other woods require bleaching to achieve. Additionally, sugarberries are commonly planted along streets within their native range. If used as an urban tree, it is important to note that mature trees are susceptible to trunk rot and planting them in open areas will help avoid injury.
Ecological Importance
Origin: Native to the United States
Native Range: Found from Virginia south to Florida, west to Texas, and north to Missouri.
Figure 1. Native range of Sugarberry. Photo credit: U.S. Geological Survey
Sugarberry grows in humid and semi-humid climates where it is primarily found in river bottoms, streams, and wet sites. It is found in sandy, silty soil with accumulated organic matter. The sugarberry is commonly associated with red maple, hawthorn, water oak, and winged elm.
The fleshy fruit of sugarberry is consumed by various bird and mammal species while white-tailed deer and rabbits will eat the seedlings and other parts of the plant. Yellow-bellied sapsuckers will drill into the bark for phloem, and the tree is a larval host plant for multiple butterfly species.
More Information
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/ST138
References
Gilman, E. F., Watson, D. G., Klein, R. W., Koeser, A. K., Hilbert, D. R., & McLean, D. C. (2019a). ENH297/ST138: Celtis laevigata: Sugarberry. UF IFAS Extension. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/ST138
Houck, M., & Anderson, M. (2009). Celtis laevigata. Plant Fact Sheet for Sugarberry. https://plants.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/factsheet/pdf/fs_cela.pdf
i-Tree. (2006). Tree tools - calculate the benefits of trees!. i-Tree. https://www.itreetools.org/
Kennedy, H. E. (n.d.). Sugarberry. Celtis Laevigata Willd. https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/misc/ag_654/volume_2/celtis/laevigata.htm#:~:text=Sugarberry%20(Celtis%20laevigata)%2C%20a,southern%20hackberry%2C%20and%20lowland%20hackberry
NC State Extension. (n.d.). Celtis laevigata. North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/celtis-laevigata/
Sullivan, J. (1993). Celtis laevigata. In: Fire Effects Information System. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory. https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/tree/cellae/all.html#:~:text=Sugarberry%20has%20a%20moderately%20long,over%20150%20years%20%5B5%5D