Agroforestree Database

Local names:
 English (the honey berry tree,European hackberry,hackberry,nettle tree,mediterranean hackberry), French (micocoulier), German (Zurgelbaum), Hindi (ku,batkar,khark,khirk,roku), Italian (perlaro,bogolaro), Nepali (khari), Spanish (alneez,lodono), Trade nam

Celtis australis is a medium to large-sized deciduous tree with straight stem up to 25 m tall and 60 cm dbh; crown spreading; bark bluish-grey, smooth or with horizontal wrinkles when older; branchlets and twigs smooth and greenish-grey.

Leaves alternate, obliquely ovate to lanceolate, 7-13 cm long and 3-7 cm wide, base serrate or sometimes smooth, strongly 3-neved.

Flowers small, greenish, in axillary shoots on year-old twigs.

Fruits a drupe, ovoid or cylindrical, 6-12 mm long, yellow then purple or black, fleshy with one white seed.

Ecology

C. australis is a tree of sub-tropical to temperate climate. In western Himalaya forests, it grows in association with horse chestnut, maple, birdcherry and oak in moist localities of blue pine and deodar forests. In Turkey, the tree occurs on open rocky slopes, thickets and maquis but it is not gregarious. Most of the areas where it grows experience frost in winter.

Native range
France, India, Italy, Pakistan, Turkey, Yugoslavia (Former)

Tree management

Planting out is carried out in December-January (autumn), when seedlings are leafless. Weeding and protection from livestock and fire are essential both in the nursery and after planting. C. australis is a light demander and is adversely affected by drought. The tree pollards and coppices well.

Seeds are obtained by rubbing the flesh off fruits as they turn yellow. There are 4 000-10 000 seeds/kg. Pretreatment involves placing seeds in boiling water and then soaking for 48 hours. Germination starts in about 10 days and is complete in 3 weeks. Germination of fresh seed is about 70 %.

C. australis is a tree of sub-tropical to temperate climate. In western Himalaya forests, it grows in association with horse chestnut, maple, birdcherry and oak in moist localities of blue pine and deodar forests. In Turkey, the tree occurs on open rocky slopes, thickets and maquis but it is not gregarious. Most of the areas where it grows experience frost in winter.

C. australis is propagated through seed. Sowing in the nursery is done in spring with seeds collected that winter. Seedlings are slow growing and may take up to 2 years to reach planting-out size in cooler sites.

Poison:  Extracts are used as vermifuge.

  Leaves and fruits are eaten in soups and salads.

Leaves and twigs are lopped for fodder in the dry season; quality is reported to be high, with 15% crude protein, good palatability and digestibility.

Fibre: Inner bark yields a tough fibre used in ropes and for weaving mats.

Timber:  C. australis wood is of good quality and is suitable for poles.

Shade or shelter:  The European hackberry is planted for shade.

Medicine: Extracts from the tree are used to treat edema, headache and boils.

Nitrogen fixing:  Vesicular arbuscular mycorrhiza associated with the tree are Glomus fasciculatum and G. macrocarpum, followed by G. constrictum, G. fulvum, G. mosseae and Sclerocystis coremioides.

Ornamental:  The tree is planted as a street specimen.

Trees are planted around cultivated fields.