Experience with American Hackberry?

[crust]

Is there folks out there that collect and grow hackberry. I had heard soem time ago it is a unstable dieback species much like Siberian elm which drops branches, dies back and generally resists longevity in a pot or elsewhere. The Chinese species looks so cool as a bonsai but I see no American.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

They are very responsive in a pot, reduce well, and develop great ramification. Their best seasons are winter, spring, and early summer. By late summer the leaves look pretty rough, and fall color isn't spectacular. They also produce or develop a soot on the leaves down here later in the season, but I haven't found it to be damaging to the tree; only to patio furniture sitting under a full-sized version!

I've done a couple and liked working them, and would have another if I found a great trunk. This photo is from '05 after working it for 2 seasons, but I've since passed the tree along.

 

[Gene Deci]

They are very responsive in a pot, reduce well, and develop great ramification.

Crust, you might want to put where you live in your profile as it often makes a difference. I have a hackberry that I collected in north-western Arkansas which has done well in northern Michigan. It just requires a little extra winter protection. In my experience, Brian's reply to your post is right on. Any dieback I have had has been with small branches where the ramification needed thinning out anyway. If they grew around here I would happily do more with them.

 

[rockm]

It depends on the species of hackberry and where you are. Southern Sugarberry (Celtis Laevigata) is not all that hardy above the Mason Dixon line. Hard frosts and prolonged freezing causes branch dieback on this species. I've been growing Texas-collected sugarberry here in Va. for some time. It is extremely good as bonsai, superior to the asian varieties in vigor and ability to backbud and twig.
http://www.na.fs.fed.us/pubs/silvics_manual/volume_2/celtis/laevigata.htm

The main species of American Hackberry is more winter hardy, but again finer twigging can get nipped in heavier winters.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtis_occidentalis

 

[crust]

Well its encouraging to hear others have use this some and I am interested in the Occidentalis. The next question is if anyone know where a collecting region would be for this tree--it is fairly widespread in the lower midwest but I really don't know where it is prolific. I would love to find a cow-browsed hack field.

 

[TreeKiller64]

I Live in Zone 5a, Illinois, got 1 in the yard to thinken trunk, cant wait to get ripping on it this year! Best of luck on yours!

 

[sfhellwig]

I would hardly say I have experience but last year, I went digging with a Springfield, MO group and Hackberry (Occidentalis) was the primary take. I started poking around at my family farm and found an entire stand of them. They are everywhere. But I am in SE KS, kind of far from you. Guess that doesn't help much.

 

[jk_lewis]

You should expect some twig dieback every winter.