Smithsonian Gardens

Common name: Sugarberry, Southern Hackberry, Sugar Hackberry, Mississippi Hackberry

Family: Cannabaceae (Hemp)

Distribution: Central to E. US; Mexico

Habitat: Riparian

Hardiness: -10 - 30 F

Life form: Deciduous tree

Bloom Time: April to May

Attracts: Butterflies

Average height: 60-80'

Bark characteristics: Light gray, smooth, or covered in wart-like bumps. Branchlets start covered in short hair, but become smooth.

Fall color: Yellow

Disease resistance: Witches' broom

Foliage characteristics: Simple, alternate, lance-shaped with curved points and slightly serrated margins. 2-4" long.

Fruit characteristics: Round, berry-like drupes mature to deep purple and contain one round, brown seed. Edible.

Bloom characteristics: Male flowers grow in clusters, and female flowers grow solitarily.

Medicinal/pharmaceutical: Houma used a concentrate made from the bark to treat sore throats and a decoction of bark and ground shells to treat venereal disease.

Ethnobotanical uses: Comanche used a combination of berry pulp mixed with animal fat for food. Acoma, Navajo, and Tewa all used the berries for food. Navajo boiled leaves and branches to make a dark brown and red dye for wool.

Description: The sugarberry is a fruiting tree that is similar to the northern hackberry. It is less resistant to cold than the northern hackberry, but it does have juicier and sweeter purple berries. The fruit, bark, and leaves were used by Native American tribes in the tree’s range for food and various medicinal and economic purposes.