Scientific: Celtis pallida (Synonyms: Celtis ehrenbergiana, Celtis spinosa var. pallida, Celtis tala var. pallida, Momisia pallida)
Common: desert hackberry, spiny hackberry, granjeno
Family: Cannabaceae
Origin: Sonoran Desert and grassland regions of south central and southeastern Arizona extending east into Texas and south into Mexico. Also occurs in Argentina. Found primarily on gravelly and well-drained, sandy soils.
Pronounciation: CELL-tis PAL-i-da
Hardiness zones
Sunset 10-13
USDA 7-9
Landscape Use: Background, xeric landscape filler, water conservation, desert restoration, native habitat gardens, native shrub plantings.
Form & Character: Upright, spreading to sprawling, stiff, scratchy, armed, informal, arid, variably sparse and open depending on water availability.
Growth Habit: Semi-evergreen (drought deciduous) to evergreen, woody, broadleaf perennial shrub, moderate to slow growth to 5- to 20-feet tall with similar or greater spread, densely branched like elm.
Foliage/Texture: Small, ovate to ovatge-oblong, entire leaves, occassionally crenate-dentate, highly scabrous, young stems zig-zag
and have stout thorns; medium fine texture.
Flowers & Fruits: Flowers arranged in axillary cymes, yellow green and lack significant petals or sepals, inconspicuous; fruits are a small, rounded drupe, yellow, orange to red when mature. Ripened fruits are blandly sweet and may be eaten raw! Though why any Phoenix urbanite would do that is unclear to me when Costco is right down the street?
Seasonal Color: None
Temperature: Heat tolerant, cold hardy to 10o to 20oF.
Light: Full sun to partial shade.
Soil: Tolerant of most soil types, grows well in gravelly well-drained soils.
Watering: Little supplemental water required after establishment. Increased supplemental water will dramatically increase grow rate and subsequent plant size.
Pruning: If properly located and cared for in the landscape (less supplemental water is better), then desert hackberry pruning requirements should be minimal to none. But sigh, release the 'Horticulural clods of Phoenix' (aka 'Hort clods') and desert hackberry shrubs will inevitably and unnecessarily get sheared into some 'dry-looking' landscape bowling ball.
Propagation: Cuttings; however, seed germinate rapidly if sown fresh.
Disease and Pests: None
Additional comments: Desert hackberry is a relatively non-ornamental, medium-sized desert native shrub that is generally used only for desert restoration projects, native habitat gardens (primarily to attract birds and butterflies), and Sonoran Desert native plantings. Desert hackberry flowers will produce allergenic pollen.
