An energy-conserving shade tree, its toughness makes the hackberry an excellent choice for just about any landscape, provided you have ample space for its dense root system. These trees produce small, dark red berry-like fruits (drupes) that will turn dark purple as they mature in the mid-autumn months. The fruit will persist into the late winter months and serve as an important food source for a variety of bird species, including cardinals, flickers, robins, cedar waxwings, and brown thrashers (though that also means they are often damaged by other animals, such as deer).
