The common hackberry is a large deciduous tree reaching 40 feet to 60 feet in height at maturity. It typically lives to be 150 to 200 years old and exhibits its greatest annual growth between 20 and 40 years of age.

The hackberry produces small, dark-red berries that turn purple as they mature. Inside is a pit, that when scraped clean, reveals an interesting net-like pattern. The fruit of the hackberry is popular with winter birds, especially the cedar waxwing, mockingbird, and robin.