Sugarberry

This tree was grown from a seedling descended from the previous Missouri state champion Sugarberry that lived in Kirkwood Park. That tree was over 150 years old when it came down, but it lives on in our Sugarberry next to Green Hall. This native tree performs well in urban conditions and is easily identified by its distinctive corky bark. But be careful because there are other relatives that are native to Missouri that have very similar bark such as the Common Hackberry.

The fruit produced by this species are often quite sweet (said to be sweeter than its relatives), which is what has earned the tree its common name. Ripening occurs in the fall, and the fruit is edible to both humans and local wildlife. It is more resilient to common diseases, but less able to manage highly frigid winters than its northern relative.

More information about the Sugarberries in our Arboretum here!

Common Name(s)	Sugarberry, Southern Hackberry
Latin Name	Celtis laevigata
Indigenous Name(s)
Cultivar/Variety
Commercial Name

More about Tree #154:

Where to find Arbor Walk #154

Data on the space around this tree

Data on this tree over time

More about Sugarberry in general:

How to identify Sugarberry

Relationship of Celtis laevigata to other species in the Arboretum

Global Distribution of Sugarberry

Additional Resources on the Sugarberry