netleaf hackberry Ulmaceae Celtis laevigata var. reticulata Willd. var. reticulata (Torr.) L.D. Benson symbol: CELAR Leaf: Alternate, simple, pinnately veined, 2 to 4 inches long, leathery, ovate in shape with an entire margin or with a few widely spaced teeth, dark green and rough on upper surface, conspicuous "net-like" raised veins on lower surface. Flower: Very small (1/8 inch), pale green, appearing in early spring at the base of young leaves. Fruit: Fleshy, sweet, globose drupe, 1/4 to 3/8 inch in diameter, reddish orange to purple when ripe in late summer. Twig: Slender, zigzag, brown with numerous lighter lenticels when hardened, fuzzy particularly when young, tightly appressed light brown lateral buds, chambered pith. Bark: Tan to gray-brown with conspicuous warts when young, when mature irregular corky ridges form. Form: Generally a small tree (30 to 40 feet tall) with a short trunk and open wide spreading crown with crooked branches. Looks like: sugarberry - spiny hackberry - American elm Additional Range Information: Celtis laevigata var. reticulata is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. See states reporting netleaf hackberry. More: Fall Color Wood External Links: USDAFS Additional Silvics USDA Plants Database © Copyright 2016, Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, all rights reserved. Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson