Leaves: Alternate, simple; blades ovate or broadly lance-shaped, long-pointed at the tip, rounded or tapering at the asymmetrical base, up to 6 inches long and up to half as broad, usually coarsely toothed along the edges except sometimes near the base, smooth or more often rough-hairy on one or both surfaces; leafstalks up to 1 inch long, smooth or hairy.
Flowers: Arranged in drooping clusters, or sometimes solitary, appearing after the leaves are partly grown, greenish-yellow, without petals.
Fruit: Fleshy, nearly round, dark purple, about ⅓ inch in diameter, with 1 seed, ripening in September and October, borne on slender, drooping stalks.
Wood: Heavy, soft, close-grained, pale yellow.
Uses: Fence posts, furniture.
Habitat: Low woodlands.
Range: Massachusetts across to Manitoba and South Dakota, southern Oklahoma, Alabama, and Virginia.
Distinguishing Features: Hackberry leaves resemble those of some elms, but have 3 main veins arising from the base of the blade. This Hackberry differs from other hackberries in Illinois by its larger, usually coarsely toothed leaves and its larger, dark purple fruits.
