Celtis pallida

Dainty, nectar-rich, summer flowers are followed by sweet orange berries with a flavor reminiscent of Cantaloupe that generally ripen in fall. Like all of our native Hackberry species, the Spiny Hackberry is an important host plant for the Hackberry butterflies (American Snout, Tawny Emperor, Hackberry Emperor, etc...) as well as the Red-Bordered Metalmark. The 1/4-3/8" diameter ripe fruit are devoured by a variety of birds and other wildlife. Human nibblers should be aware that the fruit does contain a large pit. The Spiny or Desert Hackberry develops into a large shrub or small tree that seems to prefer average moist soils but as the name implies it is quite drought tolerant once well-established. The Spiny Hackberry is native mainly to the southern portions of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona but a disjunct population exists in south Florida as well. Our plants are raised from seeds and the ripe fruit can actually range from red to yellow with orange being most common. The summer flowers are relished by bees! It also makes a near impenetrable hedge.