hackberry trees

[coco la rue]

Hi What types of plants will grow under hackberrys? my husband says none will, as it poisons them. Our ground is clay. I live in Central Texas so summers a hot & dry and winter wonderfully mild and cool ususally

[Joanne-G]

I live near London UK where it is wet and cold almost all the year round and have no idea what a Hackberry is! As this is a UK based website I just hope there is a fellow Texan reading this who can answer your question

[quattro]

Id try nettles they are grown over in the uk for their fragrance and medicinal properties or perhaps the attractive dandelion with its fragrant yellow flowers you can share these with your neighbours!

[New Forester]

Quattro, I suspect you of not appreciating your nettles properly. Haven't you tried nettle soup? Or cooking them like spinach? I find they are excellent used in Indian recipes instead of spinach (sag?). Pick young -- with gloves. No stings once cooked. We use most of ours as cattle forage though.... Likewise dandelions make a good salad, if you like it slightly bitter (as I do). Or you can make dandelion wine with the flowers. Hackberry, also called (ironically) nettle tree (Celtis spp) will apparently grow in the UK, but I've never seen one. My tree book mentions two species but says for both "rare, collections only". Coincidentally they are in the elm family, which is related to the nettle family.

[Newt]

Hi Coco, Here's some info on hackberry. http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/trees/CELOCCA.pdf http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/trees/msg0917304636 76.html You might want to ask these folks about any tanin problems for plants. http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/trees/ Here's a site for gardening in Texas. http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/txgard/ If you post the same question on more than one of the Garden Web sites, be sure and change the title of your post or their computer will think you are spamming and block you. Newt

[coco la rue]

Newt, New Forester, Joanne-G Thank for your answers - You've led me in the right direction for finding a solution. Quatro - At least in Texas we tend to be helpful and not give snotty answers about weeds - we do know what dandelions are. Must be nice to use your anonaminity to be insulting