American hackberry is an attractive American hardwood, relatively unknown outside the USA.
Celtis occidentalis
sugarberry
American hackberry trees, are tolerant of a wide range of soils, so are quite widespread in the USA, growing in naturally regenerated forests mainly in the central and southern States, not to be confused with Mississippi hackberry (C. tenuifolia) that grows mainly near the Gulf coast. The trees of common hackberry can grow large, tall and straight with few lower branches for 70 feet yielding clear lumber.
FIA data shows U.S. hackberry growing stock is 138 million m3, 1.0% of total U.S. hardwood growing stock. Hackberry is growing 4.3 million m3 per year while the harvest is 1.2 million m3 per year. The net volume (after harvest) is increasing 3.1 million m3 each year. Hackberry growth rates are well above harvest rates in all significant producing states.
Global Warming Potential | Primary Energy Demand from Resources | Primary Energy Demand from Renewables | Acidification Potential | Freshwater Eutrophication Potential | Marine Eutrophication Potential | Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential | Resource Depletion | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unit | Kg CO2 -eq | MJ | MJ | Moles of H+ eq. | Kg P -eq | Kg N -eq | Kg NMVOC | Kg Sb -eq. |
Forestry | / | 322 | 11500 | 0.348 | / | 0.000415 | 0.438 | 0.00000251 |
Drying | 29.9 | 451 | 471 | 0.167 | 0.000247 | 0.00797 | 1.33 | 0.0000192 |
Sawmill | -146 | 836 | 2320 | 0.266 | 0.000165 | 0.00542 | 0.19 | 0.000227 |
Transport Forest-Kiln | 49.6 | 687 | 11.1 | 0.228 | 0.000349 | 0.00582 | 0.287 | 0.00003 |
Transport Kiln-Customer | 202 | 2690 | 40.1 | 3.17 | 0.000927 | 0.0564 | 2.44 | 0.000113 |
Carbon uptake | -2910 | / | / | / | / | / | / | / |
Total | -2780 | 4990 | 14400 | 4.18 | 0.00169 | 0.076 | 4.68 | 0.000392 |
Hackberry is only available in very limited volumes of sawn lumber in export grades, and mostly as thinner material (4/4” & 5/4”) and produced mainly in the Southern USA. Veneer may also be available from specialist suppliers.
The wood of hackberry is similar to elm to which it is related, but although heavy is fairly soft and not very strong. The irregular coarse grain may be straight and sometimes interlocked, but it has a fine uniform texture. There is little difference between the sap and the heartwood which are yellowish grey to light brown in colour throughout.
The wood of hackberry is moderately hard and heavy with good bending strength, but low in compression. It has high shock resistance and good steam bending classification, but is low in stiffness.
Common hackberry is used for furniture and kitchen cabinets, internal joinery, doors and mouldings. It is also used as a substitute for ash.