Celtis australis

Celtis australis L.

Family: Cannabaceae

Common names: European hackberry, European nettle tree

This deciduous tree can reach a height of up to 25 meters and is widespread in southern Europe, northern Africa, and temperate Asia. It has a light gray trunk and a wide crown formed by leaves with an ovate-lanceolate blade, often slightly asymmetric. The flowers, hermaphroditic and unisexual on the same plant, are small and inconspicuous. The fruit is a more or less ovoid drupe that turns reddish or blackish when mature.

This tree was highly valued for its wood, which was used for making fishing rods, handles, and walking sticks. Nowadays, it is mainly used for roadside planting or to decorate urban flowerbeds, as it is appreciated for the dense shade created by its canopy.

Its robust roots, which have the ability to penetrate rock crevices, contribute to their weathering or to the damage of sidewalks and walls, if they are close to the plant.