Hackberry, Celtis occidentalis
The fruit can be eaten raw. Very sweet and pleasant tasting, they can be eaten out of hand or can be used for making jellies, preserves etc.
The fruit is often produced abundantly in Britain, it is about the size of a blackcurrant, but there is very little flesh surrounding a large seed and it is therefore a very fiddly crop. The fruit is dark orange to purple- or blue-black when fully ripe, usually about 7-11mm in diameter, though occasionally up to 20mm. The flesh is dry and mealy but with a pleasant sweet taste.
The seed can also be eaten. The fruit and seed can be ground up finely together and used as a flavouring or mixed in to a fruit and nut bar.
The N. American Indians ate them with parched corn.
An extract obtained from the wood has been used in the treatment of jaundice.
A decoction of the bark has been used in the treatment of sore throats.
A dye is obtained from the roots. No more details are given.
Fairly wind-tolerant, it can be planted as part of a shelterbelt.
The wood is rather soft, weak, coarse-grained, heavy. It weighs 45lb per cubic foot and is sometimes used commercially for cheap furniture, veneer, fencing fuel etc.
This tree is hardy when dormant, but severe spring frosts will damage the fresh growth. The tree grows up to 20m, but is apparantly quite variable in size.