Nettle Tree, European hackberry
Celtis australis

Family: Cannabaceae

What it is like

Celtis australis is a deciduous Tree growing to 20 m (65ft) by 10 m (32ft) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6. It is in flower in April, and the seeds ripen in October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

Height (m): 20

Where it is found

Hedges, banks and sandy places.

S. Europe.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 3

Fruit - raw. A mealy pleasant taste. Small and insipidly sweet. Of little value. The fruit is about 10mm in diameter with a single large seed. Seed - raw or cooked. An oil is obtained from the seed.

Oil: Oil

Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.

Medicine

Rating: 2

The leaves and fruit are astringent, lenitive and stomachic. The leaves are gathered in early summer and dried for later use. The fruit, particularly before it is fully ripe, is considered to be more effective medicinally. A decoction of both leaves and fruit is used in the treatment of amenorrhoea, heavy menstrual and intermenstrual bleeding and colic. The decoction can also be used to astringe the mucous membranes in the treatment of diarrhoea, dysentery and peptic ulcers.

Astringent: Produces contraction in living tissue, reducing the flow of secretions and discharges of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.

Dysentery: Used in treating dysentery - an infection of the intestines that causes diarrhoea containing blood or mucus.

Lenitive: Soothing, palliative.

Stomachic: Aids and improves the action of the stomach.

Other

Rating: 2

A yellow dye is obtained from the bark. A fatty oil is obtained from the seed. No more information is given. Wood - very tough, pliable, durable. Widely used by turners. Used for the handles of agricultural implements. The flexible thin shoots are used as walking sticks. An excellent fuel.

Dye: Plants that provide dyes.

Fuel: Usually wood, plant materials that have been mentioned as being a good fuel.

Oil: Vegetable oils have many uses, as lubricants, lighting, soap and paint making, waterproofing etc. This does not include the edible oils unless they are also mentioned as having other uses.

Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.

How it is grown

Succeeds in any reasonably good soil, preferring a good fertile well-drained loamy soil. Succeeds on dry gravels and on sandy soils. The trees have deep spreading roots and are very drought resistant once established. This species requires mild winters if it is to succeed. Trees prefer hotter summers and more sunlight than are normally experienced in Britain, they often do not fully ripen their wood when growing in this country and they are then very subject to die-back in winter. A hardier form, from seed collected in the Caucasus, is in cultivation in Britain. The fruit and the seed are sometimes sold in local markets in the Balkans. This plant is said to be the lotus fruit of the ancients. It is mentioned in the story of Odysseus returning from Troy and the story relates that if a person should eat the fruit they will never leave that area. Coppices well. A good shade tree. Trees can be very long-lived, perhaps to 1000 years. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus.

Propagating it: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Stored seed is best given 2 - 3 months cold stratification and then sown February/March in a greenhouse. Germination rates are usually good, though the stored seed might take 12 months or more to germinate. The seed can be stored for up to 5 years. As soon as they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots. The leaves of seedlings often have a lot of white patches without chlorophyll, this is normal and older plants produce normal green leaves. Grow the seedlings on in a cold frame for their first winter, and plant them out in the following late spring or early summer. Give them some protection from the cold for their first winter outdoors. Cuttings

Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Canopy;

Habit: Tree

Hardiness: 5-9

Growth: Medium

Soil: Light (sandy), medium

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

C. lutea.