Herb: Sugarberry


Latin name: Celtis laevigata


Synonyms: Celtis mississippiensis


Family: Ulmaceae (Elm Family)



Medicinal use of Sugarberry:

A decoction of the bark has been used in the treatment of sore throats. It has also been used, mixed with powdered shells, as a treatment for VD.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Deciduous
Tree

Height:
18 m
(59 feet)

Flowering:
April

Habitat of the herb:

Low wet areas such as floodplains, bottomlands and sloughs, generally in clay soils.

Edible parts of Sugarberry:

Fruit - raw or cooked. The flesh is thin, dry and sweetish, covering a single large seed. The fruit is up to 6mm in diameter.

Other uses of the herb:

Wood - soft, not strong, close grained. It weighs 49lb per cubic foot and is used for cheap furniture, fencing, fuel.

Propagation of Sugarberry:

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Stored seed is best given 2 - 3 months cold stratification and then sown February/March in a greenhouse. Germination rates are usually good, though the stored seed might take 12 months or more to germinate. The seed can be stored for up to 5 years. As soon as they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots. The leaves of seedlings often have a lot of white patches without chlorophyll, this is normal and older plants produce normal green leaves. Grow the seedlings on in a cold frame for their first winter, and plant them out in the following late spring or early summer. Give them some protection from the cold for their first winter outdoors. Cuttings

Cultivation of the herb:

Low wet areas such as floodplains, bottomlands and sloughs, generally in clay soils.

Known hazards of Celtis laevigata:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.