Plant Type

Tree

 

Height Range

25-40'

 

Flower Color

Green, Yellow

 

Flower Season

Spring

 

Leaf Color

Green

 

Bark Color

Brown

 

Fruit Color

Red, White

 

Fruit Season

Summer

Sun

Full, Half

 

Water

Medium

 

Growth Rate

Fast

 

Soil Type

Sandy, Clay, Loam, Rocky, Unparticular

 

Soil Condition

Average, Rich, Poor, Well-drained, Dry

 

Soil pH

Acid, Neutral

 

Adverse Factors

Invasive, Messy

Design Styles

Formal

 

Accenting Features

n/a

 

Seasonal Interest

Summer

 

Location Uses

Background

 

Special Uses

Shade Tree

 

Attracts Wildlife

Birds, Wildlife

This deciduous tree is extremely dense, with a boldly branched, round-topped form. Large, deeply lobed leaves are leathery, and in a mild fall will have a yellow color; otherwise, they turn brown with the first frost. Very dense shade. Small yellowish-green flowers in drooping catkins bloom in spring (March-April). Fertilized flowers on female trees are followed by sweet, edible blackberry-like fruits (cylindrical drupes to 1” long) that mature in June. Fruits ripen to white or pink, but sometimes to darker reds or purple-blacks. Fruits are loved by birds. Rapid grower to 30 to 35 feet tall and wide. There are non-fruiting cultivars available.

Grow in rich, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Prune in late fall or winter to avoid bleeding. Tolerates heat, drought, and a somewhat wide range of soils, including alkaline ones. Shallow rooted, so it can be difficult to get anything to grow underneath. The fruit is very tasty, but it can also be messy, so you are now forewarned.