Of the 70 or so Celtis species, there are over a dozen that are sometimes called by the common name sugarberry (or hackberry) but in the USA it is most likely to be Celtis laevigata that is sold as sugarberry.
Also, there is another group of Celtis spp. that are sold as hackberry, and hackberry is frequently the commercial name give to sugarberry and in fact hackberry is an alternate common name for Celtis laevigata, which adds to the confusion. Both sets of species are sometimes sold in low-end batches of elm or ash. Celtis occidentalis (one of the most common Celtis species sold as hackberry) grows mainly in the Eastern US and up into Canada and Celtis laevigata (sugarberry) grows mainly in the South/Southeast of the USA but there is overlap in their growing ranges.
To further complicate the possible confusion between the two, they cannot be distinguised by the lumber but only by the tree and they are often sold as one or the other (or "hackberry/sugarberry") regardless of which one they actually are.
And then to top it all off, the sugarberry group of Celtis spp. cannot be distinguished from the hackberry group of Celtis spp. by the lumber characteristics but only by their tree's botanical characteristics.
Both woods resemble American ash in color and grain and, to a lesser extent, American elm.
Like ash, it is somewhat coarse but it is a moderately strong wood that works nicely and glues very well.
my samples: NOTE: these pics were all taken in very bright incandescent lighting ("soft white" at 2700K) colors will vary under other lighting conditions
both sides of a sample plank sold to me as sugarberry / Celtis laevigata --- note that one side appears to have blue stain or a mineral stain or something --- the poor quality of this sample plank is not at all unusual for the samples I bought from the IWCS.
end grain and end grain closeup of the sample plank directly above
both sides of a sample plank of sugarberry / Celtis laevigata --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
both sides of a sample plank of sugarberry / Celtis laevigata --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
both sides of a sample plank of sugarberry / Celtis laevigata --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by David Clark whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
both sides of a sample plank of sugarberry / Celtis laevigata --- HUGE enlargements are present. This sample was loaned to me by Mark Peet whom I thank for this and other contributions to the site.
end grain and end grain closeup of the piece directly above
two closeups of the larger sheet from the top picture
web pics:
planks that were all listed as sugarberry/hackberry, which is quite reasonable since the two cannot be distinguished from the lumber, only from the trees. Since I didn't have many sugarberry pics and these could have gone in either place, I put these here instead of with hackberry.
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listing did not say spalted, but it certainly appears to be.
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