Over the years you have seen us share images of the large, lone tree towering above the nursery – the Old Hackberry keeping watch over the farm. Sadly, Old Hackberry fell down in a storm that came through last month. We knew this time would come, and we’ve watched Old Hackberry slowly start to decline over these last few years, but it surprised us nonetheless. So, to honor the SGN Sentinel, our July Tree of the Month is Celtis occidentalis – The Common Hackberry!
The Hackberry is a dependable native shade tree that tolerates a wide range of conditions with textured bark that adds interest to the landscape. Hackberry is a “Tried & True” favorite of ours!
GROWER’S NOTE:
The Common Hackberry is a challenge for any grower. Challenge accepted here at the nursery! We love to watch it take shape in our fields. Each Hackberry needs a little special attention, but with proper prune timing and our great soils, this Midwest native takes its place near the top of our “favorite” tree list.
Included in the pictures below, are some images from pruning this season in the nursery. We highlight seasons 1, 2, 3, & 4 for a Hackberry growing in our nursery. To watch the progression year after year and see the canopy take shape is a true joy of growing trees! Obviously the tree is doing MOST of the work. With a few appropriate timing methods and pruning techniques, Jamie & his crew can ensure the young tree gets off to a good start. These years of growth while the trees gets up to 3.0″ in caliper, are crucial for getting good branch structure on trees that will get planted into the landscape. Attentive pruning while young results in strong sturdy branching later! Jamie and Chon are master pruners at Hackberry and they have been teaching this craft to the younger Grower’s on our team. Patience & Persistence rule the day when you work with Hackberry!
Some other photos we included in this gallery are of Old Hackberry in her final resting place. This lone tree along the old fencerow hosts an entire community within it’s trunk and branches. Since the tree is not in the way at the moment, we are going to leave it for a bit while we make a plan for some creative ways to honor this tree’s contribution to our neighborhood all these years. Eventually we will clean the area up and plant some new trees, but for now we will let the season play out among her branches!
We hope by highlighting this remarkable native tree, we will inspire you to seek out a Hackberry in your community for observation – or maybe even consider adding it to your next planting plan. They make a great parkway tree where a large canopy is desired. In farm yards and rural communities, they are also an excellent tough and durable choice for the Midwest winds and temperature fluctuations. We invite you to visit the nursery sometime and see our Hackberry growing methods first hand. You will fall in love with this tree just like we did!
