Hi neighbor, my name is Hackberry
American Nettle Tree is my other common name.
Trees in Chicago regional parks provide habitat for millions of migrating birds each year. The Wood Warbler bird family prefers to forage in Hackberry and Oak trees and mid-may is the peak of Warbler migration across the Great Lakes. Jackson Park is one of the top three places in the city to experience this first hand. Gather some birding tips from The Audubon Society and check out the Chicago Ornithological Society for some virtual birding events.
How many of us can you find in Jackson Park?
We are one of ten trees highlighted in this guide to Trees of the Midwest and are proud to be identified for the contributions we make to “… clean our air, protect our water and provide habitat for the wildlife all around us!”
aka Celtis occidentalis
We trees would like to thank the thousands of treekeepers across Chicago-land who take care of our extended tree family. With official programming on hold due to Covid-19, we found this hopeful post about volunteers looking after trees in their neighborhoods. We agree, the need to look after each other is strong.
Thanks for looking out for us!