Chinese Hackberry Tree

Chinese hackberry is a deciduous East Asian tree with smooth gray bark, toothed leaves, orange fruit, and yellow fall color. It is useful as a shade tree where its mature size and potential to naturalize suit the site. ## Size and season [Oregon State University](https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/celtis-sinensis) lists *Celtis sinensis* at 40–60 feet tall, with smooth gray bark, dark-orange fruit, and yellow fall color. It gives Chinese and Japanese hackberry as common names, USDA Zone 5, and sun to partial shade. A [California State University, Stanislaus profile](https://www.csustan.edu/campus-tree-story-map/chinese-hackberry-celtis-sinensis), drawing on SelecTree, describes 40–65 feet, spring flowers, orange or purple fruit in summer or fall, drought tolerance, and USDA Zones 7–9. These published size and hardiness ranges differ, so local climate and growing conditions matter. ## Siting The species tolerates adaptable soils and grows in full sun to partial shade. Plan for a large tree and consider its potential to naturalize: Oregon State cautions that it can become invasive in some environments. ## Maintenance Allow room for the mature canopy and monitor seedlings where the species has naturalized locally. The cited references do not provide a cultivar-specific pruning schedule.