Common Name: Iguana Hackberry

General Information

Celtis iguanaea is a semi-deciduous shrub or small tree with a wide, roundish crown; it can grow 6 - 9 metres tall, often with long, recurved or somewhat scandent branches[, , ].The straight bole is sometimes as much as 30cm in diameter, often branched from near the base The branches are armed with stout, short, usually recurved spines[].
The edible fruits are sometimes gathered from the wild, mainly by children, for local use[]. They tend not to be appreciated by adults, though there is a report that the tree is occasionally cultivated for its edible fruits in Mexico[]. The plant also has medicinal uses, is a local source of wood and can be used as a pioneer when restoring native woodland.
Celtis iguanaea has a very wide distribution, large population, is not currently experiencing any major threats and no significant future threats have been identified. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2019)[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

S. America - Argentina and Paraguay north throughoutn S. America and the Caribbean to Florida, and through C. America to Mexico.

Habitat

Dry or wet thickets of plains and hillsides, usually below elevations of 1,000 metres[]. Gallery forests, often in areas subject to periodic inundation[].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Semi-deciduous Tree
Height	7.50 m
Growth Rate	Medium
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Wild

Cultivation Details

Prefers a sunny position[]. Grows best in humus-rich, moist soils[].
A fairly fast-growing tree[].
The tree resprouts freely from the base if it is cut down[].

Edible Uses

Fruit - raw[]. Eaten straight from the plant as a snack[]. A slightly sweet, succulent pulp[, ]. An acid, juicy pulp[]. A scant flesh and a flavour that is not appetizing[]. The orange fruit is 8 - 12mm in diameter[, , ].

Medicinal

A decoction of the fruits is considered to be a specific for treating dysentery and intestinal catarrh[].
The sap of the fruits is used to treat eye diseases[].

An infusion of the leaves is used as a vaginal douche to treat leucorrhoea[]. Leaf extracts are used in a bath to treat fevers[, ].

The leaves contain the sugar alcohol quebrachitol[].

Agroforestry Uses:

A fast-growing tree that provides a good source of fruits for the birds[]. It has potential for use in reforestation schemes[].

Other Uses

The heartwood is scant, dark brown or almost black, the sapwood white[]. The wood is medium-textured, straight-grained, heavy, hard but of low natural durability[]. It is only used locally for items such as stakes, tool handles and rustic constructions[].
The wood is used for fuel and to make charcoal[].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a nursery seedbed in a sunny position[]. A high germination rate can be expected, with the seeds sprouting within 28 - 42 days. The seedlings grow away quickly[]..

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