Celtis iguanaea - Iguana hackberry
Family:
Native to:
Habitat:
Cannabaceae.
South America through Central America, the Caribbean to Florida.
Dry or wet thickets of plains and hillsides. Up to 1280 meters above sea level. Tree, 7.5 meters tall.
Ecological value:
Fast growing pioneer that provides fruit for birds and other wildlife. Can be implemented in reforestation schemes. Re-sprouts if cut down. Some species of Celtis are a pollen source for honeybees. Celtis species are also used as food plants for several caterpillars.
Material uses:
Wood is hard and heavy, but not durable. Used in smaller items and minimal construction. Wood used to make charcoal.
Edible uses:
The tree’s fruit is eaten raw.
Medicinal use:
Tree’s sap is used to treat eye diseases and the fruit itself has been used for treating dysentery and intestinal catarrh.
Other details:
Celtis iguanaea belongs to a genus of 60-70 species of trees that are distributed globally through warm temperate regions. Berries are generally edible when ripe. Several species are valued for their drought tolerance.
Research:
Zac Pepere/Christine Facella
Sources:
“Celtis Iguanaea (Jacq.) Sarg. | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science.” n.d. Plants of the World Online. Accessed November 27, 2023. https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:1213898-2/general-information.
“Celtis Iguanaea - Useful Tropical Plants.” n.d. Tropical.theferns.info. Accessed November 27, 2023. https://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Celtis+iguanaea.
“Celtis.” 2023. Wikipedia. April 27, 2023. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtis.
Image source: Francisco Farriols Sarabia.