Links to the American Beech webpage.  
 

Wood & Charcoal Identification
in Southern Maryland


Hackberry

Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis./Ulmaceae). The genus Celtis (Hackberrys, Nettle-trees and Sugarberrys) contains about 75 species native to North and Central America and southern Africa. Celtis is the old Latin name for a species of “lotus”. The fruits of this species were the lotus referred to in Homer’s Odyssey. Hackberry trees can reach heights of 130 ft (40 m), with a diameter of 4 ft (1.2 m). Hackberry has pale yellow to green sapwood, with light brown heartwood. Hackberry wood has a straight grain, is medium hard, bends well and has great shock resistance. It is not stiff and is weak in compression. It works well with most tools for most applications and is not resistant to decay. It is used for boxes and crates, charcoal, fence posts, fuel, furniture, millwork, plywood, sporting and athletic goods, and veneer. The bark was used as a yellow dye

http://www2.fpl.fs.fed.us/TechSheets/HardwoodNA/htmlDocs/celtis.html.


Characteristics found in the Hackberry (Celtis sp.):

  • Ring porous
  • Ulmiform latewood
  • Spirals in vessels
  • Simple perforations
  • I/V pits medium (8-12)
  • Rays 5-8 seriate & heterocellular
  • Crystals in rays and axial parenchyma

WOOD SLIDES
Click on each image to view a larger image.

CHARCOAL SLIDES

 
 

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Maryland Archaeological Conservation Lab