Hackberry

Color/Appearance: Heartwood is light brown to gray. Wide sapwood is a contrasting light yellow. Susceptible to blue-gray fungal staining if not processed promptly. It’s overall appearance is similar to ash (Fraxinus spp.), and it’s sometimes used in place of ash.

Grain/Texture: Grain is usually straight or occasionally slightly interlocked, with a very coarse uneven texture.

Endgrain: Ring-porous; 2-3 rows of large to very large earlywood pores; small to medium latewood pores in wavy tangential bands; tyloses common; parenchyma vasicentric, banded (marginal); medium to wide rays, spacing wide.

Rot Resistance: Rated as non-durable to perishable. Also susceptible to fungal discoloration and insect attack.

Workability: Generally good working characteristics with both hand and machine tools, though smaller pieces with knots, or sections with interlocked grain can pose challenges in machining. Responds superbly to steam bending. Glues, turns, stains, and finishes well.

Odor: Can have a mild odor when worked.

Allergies/Toxicity: Hackberry has been reported to cause skin irritation. See the articles Wood Allergies and Toxicity and Wood Dust Safety for more information.

Pricing/Availability: Not widely available outside its natural range, Hackberry is regularly harvested and sold as utility lumber at a modest price within its natural range. Spalted and/or stained pieces are sometimes sold at an increased price. Lumber is sold interchangeably with the closely related Sugarberry (Celtis laevigata).