The 'Green Cascade' cultivar, or weeping Japanese hackberry, is a rapidly growing, flowering, deciduous tree in the hemp family (Cannabaceae) and a cultivar of Chinese hackberry. It was developed and selected in 1983 by Cliff Parks of the Camellia Forest Nursery in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. At maturity and with the proper support to overcome its propensity to spread along the ground, it can reach 15-20 feet high and wide. It can be trained and supported to trellises, arbors, pergolas or gates and must be tied or draped on the support. Propagation is done asexually by stem cuttings to get the weeping form. These trees thrive in hot summers and full sun in well-drained amended soils. Shade can cause problems with improper wood development leading to winter dieback. It is tolerant of urban conditions, heat and humidity. 'Green Cascade' can be trained to cascade over gates, trellises and other such structures. Its natural form is weeping branches and if unsupported it will spread to the ground in a mounded form. It can also be used in Bonsai. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Witches broom, Hackberry nipple gall, powdery mildew, leaf spot and root rot are occasional problems. Lace bugs and scale are also issues for this plant. More information on Celtis sinensis .
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)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
6-feet-12 feet; 12-24 feet
NC region
Coastal; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 15 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in. | Width: 15 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
2 - Understory (15-40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Broad; Rounded; Spreading; Weeping
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous; Semi-evergreen
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Ovate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf feel
Glossy
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Pointed, round-toothed green leaves (2 to 5 inches long) are dark and glossy above but paler and somewhat hairy beneath with rounded to obliquely truncate bases. Leaves turn yellow in fall. Like other hackberries, the leaves have three prominent veins. The bases are a little less uneven than native species.
Fall color
Gold/Yellow
Flower color
Green; Insignificant
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Insignificant
Flower detail
Inconspicuous monoecious greenish flowers bloom from the leaf axils and stem bases from March to May.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Brown/Copper; Green; Orange; Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Drupe
Fruit value
Showy
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
The greenish1/3 of an inch fruits turn orange, then mature in the fall to reddish-brown.
Bark color
Dark Brown; Dark Gray
Bark detail
Smooth gray to gray-brown bark when mature.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Japan
Wildlife value
Birds are attracted to the fruits.
Attracts
Butterflies; Moths; Pollinators; Songbirds
Play value
Screening; Textural; Wildlife Food Source
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Drupe
Uses (ethnobotany)
Beautiful specimen for a trellis, arbor, gate, pergola and other structures where support for the plant can be provided.
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Naturalized Area; Patio; Rock Wall; Walkways