Netleaf Hackberry

celtis reticulata

The Netleaf Hackberry (Celtis reticulata) is a highly resilient, slow-growing deciduous tree or large shrub native to the arid and semi-arid regions of western North America. Highly valued for its rugged beauty, this species often takes on a gnarly, twisted form in response to harsh canyon winds, poor soils, and dry climates. It plays an essential role in its native desert ecosystems, offering vital shade, high-value nesting sites, and deep-reaching root systems that prevent soil erosion along dry washes and steep rocky slopes. Throughout the seasons, the Netleaf Hackberry undergoes a subtle but beautiful transformation, bearing inconspicuous green flowers in the spring that develop into sweet, edible reddish-orange to purple drupes by autumn. These berries are a crucial food source for desert wildlife, including many species of birds and mammals. Its remarkable ability to thrive in alkaline, rocky environments makes it a true survivor of the American West.

Lebensraum: Found in dry canyons, rocky slopes, grasslands, and along desert riparian zones across western North America.

Aussehen

This species typically grows as a small, shrubby tree ranging from 3 to 15 meters in height, featuring a highly distinctive grey trunk with corky, wart-like ridges that become more pronounced with age. Its thick, leathery, and ovate leaves have a rough, sandpaper-like upper texture and a pale underside marked by a raised, net-like web of veins. During late summer and autumn, the tree is adorned with small, spherical, single-seeded drupes that ripen from green to a dark orange or reddish-purple color.

ReichPlantaeStammTracheophytaKlasseMagnoliopsidaOrdnungRosalesFamilieCannabaceaeGattungCeltis

Netleaf Hackberry

Kategorie

Pflanzen

Seltenheit

Common

Gefahr

1/5 · Sehr gering

Snaps

Mach den ersten Snap!

Interessante Fakten

Indigenous peoples of the Southwest, such as the Navajo and Apache, traditionally ate the sweet drupes fresh or ground them with dried meat to make highly portable survival cakes.

Its heavy, tough wood was historically used by Native Americans to craft durable items such as tool handles, bows, and firewood.

The common name 'hackberry' is believed to be an altered form of 'hagberry', a historic English name for the wild bird cherry.

Unlike most trees which smooth out as they age, the Netleaf Hackberry's corky bark ridges become more dramatic and deeply furrowed the older it gets.

Besondere Fähigkeiten

Possesses deep, aggressive taproots and thick, leathery leaves designed to minimize water loss, allowing it to survive in arid environments.

The unique, protruding corky ridges on its bark act as an insulation layer, protecting the delicate inner cambium from temperature extremes and wildfires.

Its extensive root network binds loose, gravelly canyon soils, effectively stabilizing banks and slopes against flash floods.

Maße und Details

Länge: 300-1500 cm
Lebenserwartung: 100-200 Jahre

Ernährung und Fütterung

As a photosynthetic plant, the Netleaf Hackberry synthesizes its own sugars using sunlight, water, carbon dioxide, and essential minerals absorbed from the soil.

Hauptnahrung

Sunlight
Water
Carbon dioxide
Soil nutrients

Nahrungssuche

Photosynthesis

Ökologische Zusammenhänge

eaten by

Cedar Waxwing

Bombycilla cedrorum

Consumes the sweet, fleshy autumn drupes and disperses the seeds across the landscape.

host plant

Mourning Cloak Butterfly

Nymphalis antiopa

The leaves of the Netleaf Hackberry serve as a primary host plant for this butterfly's caterpillars.

eaten by

American Robin

Turdus migratorius

Feeds on the nutritious berries during fall and winter when other food sources are scarce.

Merkmale

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Sicherheit

Gefahr

1/5 · Sehr gering

Noch keine besonderen Sicherheitshinweise.

Häufig gestellte Fragen

Wie identifiziert man Netleaf Hackberry?

Der einfachste Weg, Netleaf Hackberry zu bestimmen, ist die Verwendung der Naturführer-App Snappit.

Was ist der/die/das länge von Netleaf Hackberry?

300-1500 cm

Was ist der/die/das lebenserwartung von Netleaf Hackberry?

100-200 Jahre

Was frisst Netleaf Hackberry?

As a photosynthetic plant, the Netleaf Hackberry synthesizes its own sugars using sunlight, water, carbon dioxide, and essential minerals absorbed from the soil.

Wo findet man Netleaf Hackberry normalerweise?

Found in dry canyons, rocky slopes, grasslands, and along desert riparian zones across western North America.

Wie jagt Netleaf Hackberry?

Photosynthesis