Celtis pallida (Desert Hackberry)

Nativity: Native to the Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona and northern Mexico, including the Tucson region.

Ecology: Found along washes, desert uplands, and rocky slopes. A powerhouse habitat plant, it provides dense cover for birds and is a larval host for several butterfly species, including the hackberry emperor. Its small orange berries are highly valued by birds and other wildlife.

Elevation: 1,000 – 4,500 ft

Size: Dense, thorny shrub, typically 6–10 ft tall and wide

Flowering Duration: Spring, followed by fruit in late spring to summer

Sun/Shade Preference: Full sun to part shade

Foliage Duration: Evergreen to semi-evergreen; may thin during drought or cold