Compare Species

Select two species for a detailed comparison.

  • American alder
  • American ash
  • American aspen
  • American basswood
  • American beech
  • American yellow birch
  • American cherry
  • American cottonwood
  • American elm
  • American hackberry
  • American hickory
  • American hard maple
  • American soft maple
  • American red oak
  • American white oak
  • American pecan
  • American sap gum
  • American sassafras
  • American sycamore
  • American tulipwood
  • American walnut
  • American willow
or

American hackberry

American_hackberry_big

Forest Distribution

American hackberry trees, are tolerant of a wide range of soils, so are quite widespread in the USA, growing in naturally regenerated forests mainly in the central and southern States, not to be confused with Mississippi hackberry (C. tenuifolia) that grows mainly near the Gulf coast. The trees of common hackberry can grow large, tall and straight with few lower branches for 70 feet yielding clear lumber. 

FOREST GROWTH

FIA data shows U.S. hackberry growing stock is 138 million m3, 1.0% of total U.S. hardwood growing stock. Hackberry is growing 4.3 million m3 per year while the harvest is 1.2 million m3 per year. The net volume (after harvest) is increasing 3.1 million m3 each year. Hackberry growth rates are well above harvest rates in all significant producing states.

Material Availability

Hackberry is only available in very limited volumes of sawn lumber in export grades, and mostly as thinner material (4/4” & 5/4”) and produced mainly in the Southern USA. Veneer may also be available from specialist suppliers. 

Wood Description

The wood of hackberry is similar to elm to which it is related, but although heavy is fairly soft and not very strong. The irregular coarse grain may be straight and sometimes interlocked, but it has a fine uniform texture. There is little difference between the sap and the heartwood which are yellowish grey to light brown in colour throughout. 

Mechanical Properties

The wood of hackberry is moderately hard and heavy with good bending strength, but low in compression. It has high shock resistance and good steam bending classification, but is low in stiffness.

  • 0.53

    Specific Gravity (12% M.C.)

    593 kg/m3

    Average Weight (12% M.C.)

    13.50%

    Average Volume Shrinkage (Green to 6% M.C.)

    76.535 MPa

    Modulus of Rupture

    8,205 MPa

    Modulus of Elasticity

    37.509 MPa

    Compressive strength (parallel to grain)

    3,914 N

    Hardness

Oiled / Un-Oiled Appearance

Oiled
hackberry_oiled
Un-oiled
hackberry_unoiled

Performance

  • Hackberry planes and turns well, but is intermediate in its ability to hold nails and screws. It stains and polishes to a satisfactory standard.  It dries easily with minimum degrade, but has high shrinkage and may be susceptible to movement in performance. Hackberry is susceptible to blue stain before and after kilning, so lumber purchased in the USA may be surfaced (planed) pre-shipment.

     
  • The wood is non-resistant to heartwood decay and moderately resistant to preservative treatment.

Main Uses

Common hackberry is used for furniture and kitchen cabinets, internal joinery, doors and mouldings. It is also used as a substitute for ash.

Mouldings
Furniture
Doors
Cabinets
Substitute For Other Timbers
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