Hackberry is a tree, a long-term addition to the landscape. It's hardy across USDA zones 3 through 9 and shrugs off dry spells.
Zones
3-9
pH Range
6-8
Sun
Shade
Days to Maturity
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Score Hackberry on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether hackberry actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score hackberry against your land's real conditions.
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What Hackberry is
Hackberry grows as a perennial and reaches around 60 feet at maturity. It blooms green in mid spring.
How to grow Hackberry
Hackberry grows in USDA zones 3 through 9. Hackberry does best in shade — at least 2 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 6 to 8. It needs about 400 hours of winter chill, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
3-9
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
6 - 8
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Shade
plant_species_v5.csv
Drainage
Data pending
plant_species_v5.csv
Frost Tolerance
-47°F
plant_species_v5.csv
Mature Height
60 ft
plant_species_v5.csv
Chill Hours
400+
plant_species_v5.csv
Frost-Free Days
0+
plant_species_v5.csv
Plant it right
Set hackberry in shade with well-drained soil. Many fruit trees need a second variety nearby to pollinate — check before you plant just one.
Match the soil
Hackberry prefers pH 6 to 8 (USDA PLANTS Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. Match watering to the plant's drainage preference and your local rainfall.
Be patient, then harvest
Prune annually while the tree establishes; fruit trees reward patience with years of harvest. Local Extension guides publish per-cultivar bearing-age tables.
Good to know
Good news for pet owners — hackberry isn't known to be toxic to dogs or cats. (Source: ASPCA.)
Hackberry isn't classified as a notable pollinator plant in our data — pair it with high-value bloomers nearby to feed bees.
Where Hackberry thrives
Hackberry is hardy across USDA zones 3 through 9. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
Zones 3–9·Where Hackberry growsOpen map →
On USDA hardiness-zone overlap, Hackberry can grow in these states:
See if Hackberry will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether hackberry actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow Hackberry in my zone?
Hackberry grows in USDA hardiness zones 3 through 9 (USDA PHZM 2023). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Hackberry?
Set hackberry out in early spring or fall while it's dormant, so the roots establish before the heat of summer. Your local last-frost date — which a Growable Ground report pulls for your exact address — sets the precise window.
How much sun does Hackberry need?
Hackberry is shade-tolerant — it gets by on as little as 2 hours of direct sun, so it earns a place most vegetables can't use. A north-facing strip or the ground under a leafy canopy is right where it belongs. A Growable Ground report shows which corners of your land stay shaded through the day, turning those dim spots into planting spots.
What soil does Hackberry need?
Hackberry prefers soil pH 6 to 8 (USDA PLANTS Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Hackberry attract pollinators?
Hackberry isn't classified as a notable pollinator plant in our data. Pairing it with high-value bloomers nearby keeps bees and butterflies fed.
Is Hackberry safe for pets?
Hackberry is not known to be toxic to dogs or cats based on available data (ASPCA). Always supervise pets around new plantings.