Sugarberry is a medium deciduous tree native to North America in the hemp family (Cannabaceae) and is found in the coastal and eastern Piedmont areas of NC often along stream banks. The Genus name comes from the Greek name for another tree. The specific epithet means smooth. It can grow 50-70 feet tall with a rounded vase crown and prefers moist well-drained sandy to clay loam in full sun to partial shade. It will tolerate salt, acidic to mildly alkaline pHs, soil compaction, periodic flooding and drought once established. It can be pruned and kept at shrub size by cutting them to the ground every 2-3 years. It is fairly resistant to witches' broom. The insignificant flowers are followed by fruits that mature to red or purple and are eaten by many birds and mammals. In zones 8 and under, it can have attractive yellow fall color. The unusual warty bark and fruits provide some winter interest. This tree can be used as a shade tree, as a street or parking lot tree and in the native garden for its wildlife benefits. Insects, Diseases, or Other Plant Problems: Watch for Asian wooly hackberry aphid and scale. hackberry nipple gall is common and while it disfigures the leaves it does not hurt these trees. Powdery mildew and leaf spot may occur. Scales of various types may be found on Hackberry. These may be managed with horticultural oil sprays.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasional Flooding | Occasionally Dry
Available space
24-60 feet; more than 60 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 50 ft. 0 in. - 70 ft. 0 in. | Width: 30 ft. 0 in. - 60 ft. 8 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
1 - Canopy (>40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Rounded; Vase
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Oblong; Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Rough
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
The leaves are ovate to oblong-lanceolate, rough-textured, untoothed, glossy to dull green leaves (2-4” long) have mostly uneven leaf bases. They have an undistinguished yellow fall color.
Fall color
Gold/Yellow
Flower color
Green; White
Flower form
Insignificant
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Insignificant, mostly monoecious, greenish flowers appear in spring (April–May), with male flowers in clusters and female flowers solitary.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Orange; Purple/Lavender; Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Drupe
Fruit value
Edible
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Drupes mature to deep purple with one round brown seed within. Fleshy parts of the fruit are edible and sweet. Displays from August to October.
Bark color
Light Brown; Light Gray
Bark detail
The bark is smooth between raised, corky warts.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Green
Stem detail
Brown to green thin twigs
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Central & SE. U.S.A. to Mexico, Bermuda
Distribution
AL , AR , AZ , CA , CO , DC , FL , GA , ID , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MD , MO , MS , NC , NM , NV , OK , OR , SC , TN , TX , UT , VA , WA , WV , WY
Wildlife value
This is a larval host plant for several butterflies including American Snout (Libytheana carinenta), Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa), Hackberry Emperor (Asterocampa celtis), and Tawny Emperor (Asterocampa clyton) and Question Mark Butterfly (Polygonia interrogationis). Questionmark butterflies have an interesting life cycles: overwintered adult Question Mark butterflies lay eggs from spring until the end of May. These will appear as summer adults from May-September, laying eggs that then develop into the winter adult form. The winter adults appear in late August and shelter for the winter starting the cycle all over again. Adult Question Mark butterflies feed on rotting fruit, tree sap, dung, and carrion only visiting flowers for feeding when absolutely necessary. Many bird species and small mammals eat the fruit.
Attracts
Butterflies; Moths; Pollinators; Small Mammals; Songbirds
Host plant for
several butterflies including American Snout (Libytheana carinenta), Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa), Hackberry Emperor (Asterocampa celtis), and Tawny Emperor (Asterocampa clyton) and Question Mark Butterfly (Polygonia interrogationis)
Native Americans were known to have used this tree for food, medicines, tools, and fuel. The Houma used a concentrate made from the bark to treat sore throats and decoction make from the bark ground up shells to treat venereal diseases, the berries were consumed by Native Americans, the Navajo boiled leaves and branches to make dark brown and red dye for wool