Tree · Sonoran native
Netleaf Hackberry
Celtis reticulata · Cannabaceae
Also called: Western Hackberry, Canyon Hackberry, Palo Blanco (regional)
Netleaf Hackberry (Celtis reticulata) is a low-water tree native to the Sonoran Desert region well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It thrives in full sun to partial shade.
Netleaf Hackberry at a glance
- Water use
- Low (established)
- Sun
- Full sun to partial shade.
- Mature size
- 20-30 ft H x 20-30 ft W (occasionally taller along watercourses).
- Growth rate
- Slow to moderate.
- Bloom
- Inconspicuous greenish flowers (not ornamental)., Spring (March-April), followed by small reddish-orange to purple drupes in late summer/fall.
- Cold hardiness
- Cold hardy to about 0 to -10 F; USDA zones 5-9. Tolerates Tucson heat and cold with ease.
- Soil
- Adaptable; tolerates a wide range of native desert soils including rocky, sandy, and clay. Tolerates moderately alkaline soils. Good drainage preferred but not required.
- Native range
- Southwestern U.S. and northern Mexico, including throughout Arizona; common along washes and riparian margins in the Sonoran Desert uplands.
- Best used as
- Shade tree, Native/wildlife garden, Riparian and desert restoration, Windbreak, Streetscape (informal)
- Wildlife
- High wildlife value: fruit eaten by birds (mockingbirds, finches, thrashers) and mammals; larval host plant for several butterflies including the empress and hackberry butterflies; provides nesting cover.
- Toxicity
- Non-toxic; fruit is edible to wildlife and historically eaten by indigenous peoples.
How to grow Netleaf Hackberry in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Drought tolerant once established; deep, infrequent irrigation (every 2-4 weeks in summer) produces a fuller, faster-growing canopy. Established trees in the low desert can survive on rainfall plus occasional supplemental water.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Generally needs no fertilizer in native soils; a light application of balanced fertilizer in early spring can boost young trees. Avoid heavy feeding.
Pruning & care
Prune in winter while dormant to develop a strong scaffold and raise the canopy; remove crossing, dead, or witch's-broom-affected branches. Naturally develops an attractive gnarled, deciduous form.
Notes
Deciduous native tree with corky, warty bark and leaves with a netted (reticulate) vein pattern, giving the common name. Often hosts harmless galls and witch's-broom; prone to mistletoe in the wild. Excellent tough, water-thrifty native shade tree for Tucson.
Sources: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum; University of Arizona Cooperative Extension; AMWUA Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert; SEINet/Arizona Native Plant Society