Spiny Hackberry
Celtis iguanaea
- Native to:
- Aruba, Bahamas, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Leeward Is., Mexico, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Panamá, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, United States, Venezuelan Antilles, Windward Is.
iNaturalist: © anthony733 (iNaturalist #284532158)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Cannabaceae
- Genus:
- Celtis
- Species:
- Celtis iguanaea
- USDA Symbol:
- CEEH
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub , Tree
- Height:
- 1500 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- mar,apr,may
- Bloom Colors:
- green, yellow
Wildlife Benefits
- Caterpillars:
- ★★☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★★★☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Automeris randa, Cecropis moth (Automeris cecrops), Io moth (Automeris io), Saturnia anona, American snout butterfly (Libytheana carinenta), 🛑Bachman's snout butterfly (Libytheana bachmanii), Empress Leilia (Asterocampa leilia), Laure Dorado (Doxocopa laure), Pavon Emperor (Doxocopa pavon), Red-bordered Metalmark (Caria ino)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Butterflies:Empress Leilia (Asterocampa leilia)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
- Fall Color:
- yellow
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts from roots and trunk after fire damage; typical of Celtis genus resilience.
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days
- Scarification:
- Seed coat scarification required before sowing
- Germination Time:
- 21–60 days
- Notes:
- Scarification improves germination; seeds have hard coat. Cold stratification recommended.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Ferment the seed and remove the pulp prior to planting to increase germination rates. Cold-stratify at 5°C in a moist media to break dormancy for 90-120 days.
Establishment: Assumption made that the stratification method for common hackberry, sugarberry and netleaf hackberry may be useful for spiny hackberry as well. The plant is useful in erosion control due to extensive root systems.
Source: npn.rngr.net