Oriental Hackberry

Celtis tournefortii

Native to:
Albania, Bulgaria, Cyprus, East Aegean Is., Greece, Iran, Iraq, Kriti, Krym, Lebanon-Syria, NW. Balkan Pen., Sicilia, Transcaucasus, Türkiye

📍 View on iNaturalist →

Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Cannabaceae
Genus:
Celtis
Species:
Celtis tournefortii
USDA Symbol:
CETO5

Growth Characteristics

Height:
800 cm
Light Requirements:
Full Sun,Part Shade
Drought Tolerance:
High
Bloom Months:
apr,may
Bloom Colors:
green

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:
★★★★☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:
birds
Salt Tolerant:
Yes
Fall Color:
yellow
Fire Ecology:
Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
Fire Notes:
Resprouts from the base after fire or cutting damage.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
rocky, well-drained calcareous soil
pH:
6.0 - 8.0 (neutral to slightly alkaline)
Drainage:
excellent drainage required
Moisture:
dry to moderate
Notes:
native to rocky slopes and hillsides

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:
Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days
Germination Time:
14–60 days
Notes:
Seeds benefit from cold stratification; germination can be erratic.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI