Woody > Celtis > Celtis tenuifolia > Celtis tenuifolia
Celtis tenuifolia
Origin: Celtis tenuifolia is native to eastern North America, going as far south as Florida and as far north as southern Ontario. It is however, primarily found in the eastern United States, with the tree becoming uncommon north of the Ohio River. In Canada, the only populations are found in southern Ontario, where it has been marked as threatened on the Species At Risk list.
Mike's
Opinion
"
C. tenuifolia is a striking yet small tree that holds an underappreciated wildlife and aesthetic value. This plant's distinctive characteristics that garner this description include its bark, which matures from smooth to deeply ridged and cork-like in texture, and the contrast of the orange-brown drupes on its rough, dark green-grey leaves. In addition, it holds significant wildlife value, hosting the larvae of several butterfly species as well as attracting pollinators and serving as a food source for both mammals and birds alike with its sugary drupes. This tree often acts as an effective windbreaker in the landscape, with its preferences for disturbed areas and close to forests. It is a relatively hardy plant, albeit with a preference for hot summers, with a tolerance for cold weather and drought conditions. This tree of course has importance in habitat restoration, currently marked as ‘threatened’ on the Species at Risk list in Ontario. It also has undervalued landscape value, serving as a potential barrier surrounding park walkways and having potential on residential properties, especially with its smaller size. C. tenuifolia should be more readily considered in landscape projects, and should be involved in further research, as limited literature exists regarding this tree.
Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)
"
| Family |
| Cannabaceae (Ulmaceae) |
| Genus |
| Celtis |
| Species |
| tenuifolia |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Tree (deciduous) |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 5 - 9 |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 3a - 3b |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H7 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| -15 |
| Temperature (°F) |
| 5 |
| Height |
| 1 - 4 m |
| Spread |
| 2 - 5 m |
Photographs
Cultivars
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Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| C. tenuifolia is a deciduous small tree or shrub that contains many branches, with dark green-grey leaves and pale grey, ridged bark. It produces small orange-brown drupes that resemble berries, maturing in the late summer and early fall. The fruit is edible, and primarily enjoyed by mammals and birds. |
| Cultivation |
| This plant can be grown in both full sun and partial shade. It is partial to moist soils but is drought-tolerant, and does well in sandy or gravelly soils, with a preference for alkaline soils. |
| Growth |
| Fast |
| ID Characteristic |
| C. tenuifolia greatly resembles its relative Celtis occidentalis. Despite this, it is distinguishable through a few key differences. It has globose, orange-brown drupes that resemble berries and are present in the summer and autumn seasons, and dark green-grey leaves that differ from the leaves of C. occidentalis due to their more symmetrical base and smaller, broader size. The bark of this plant is rided and cork-like in appearance once it reaches its mature stages, and has a generally smaller size compared to C. occidentalis. |
| Pests |
| There are few pests that pose a risk to C. tenuifolia. Beetle infestations are a potential problem; bark beetles, snails, deer, as well as invasive and allelopathic plants pose risk. |
| Habitat |
| C. tenuifolia typically prefer open habitats, and often persisting as sites close in and succeed into dry-mesic southern forest. It also describes old fields and former orchards as potential habits. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| The bark is most commonly a pale grey. Young bark is smooth, but develops small knobs and/or small fissures with age which appear cork-like and ridged. As the tree matures, it increases in rigidity. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description |
| C. tenuifolia has no true terminal bud, with the end bud originating as a lateral bud, often bent. The buds are described as ovoid, flattened, and pointed, present in two rows along the twig, with five or more scales. The leaf scars are raised and semi-oval, containing three vein scars. |
| Leaf Description |
| Leaves are smaller and broader than C. occidentalis, with a more symmetrical base. The leaves are alternate along the branches, with two along the branches; something that is common in the Celtis species. The margins are entire to toothed mostly above the middle, and the blades are ovate with a short tapered tip. The colouring of the upper leaf of C. tenuifolia is a dark green-grey and rough, often described as leathery, with the under leaf being a lighter grey-green and finely pubescent. |
| Flower Description |
| C. tenuifolia contains berry-like drupes which are smaller than those of C. occidentalis, at a width of 5-9 mm. They have a thin flesh which covers a pitted stone, with a taste that is described as very sweet and sugary, with the flavour of dates. The fruit matures in the late summer and continues into early autumn, developing into an orange-brown colouring that distinguishes it from C. occidentalis further, which matures to a deep purple colour. |
| Colour Description |
| The bark of C. tenuifolia is coloured pale grey, with leaves ranging from a dark green-grey on the upper side of the leaf, and a lighter green-grey on the lower side of the leaf. As the drupes mature in the fall, they are an orange-brown. |
| Texture Description |
| The texture of the bark is distinctive as it ages, starting out relatively smooth and maturing into a corky, ridged texture. The leaves of C. tenuifolia are often described as leathery, with a rough upper side. The drupes remain smooth-skinned when mature. |
| Notable Specimens |
| C. tenuifolia is notably found at The University of Guelph Arboretum, located in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. |
| Propagation |
| C. tenuifolia can be propagated through seed stratification and stem cuttings, however, little information regarding best practices for propagation through stem cuttings is available. It is recommended that for stored seeds, two to three months of cold stratification is ideal, to then be sowed in a greenhouse between the months of February and March. Minimal research has been done regarding the most effective methods of propagation for both C. tenuifolia and C. occidentalis through stem cuttings. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses (Disclaimer) |
| Compared to other plants in the Celtis species, C. tenuifolia does not have many ethnobotanical uses described. The fruit of the tree is edible. The wood is very tough and pliable, but is described as being of no commercial value. |
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