the essential
This hackberry tree has achieved the feat of housing its trunk of more than 4 meters in circumference between two graves in the Terre Cabade cemetery, in Toulouse. For this alone, he did not steal his title of remarkable tree, nor the medal of merit.
One wonders how this hackberry tree was able to carve out such a path of life between two graves in the Terre – Cabade cemetery in Toulouse? This tree is spectacular in many ways. Firstly by its location, totally unexpected in this field of eternal rest. Then by its height: 26 meters; its wingspan: 21 meters and its circumference: 4.40 meters. This beautiful specimen draws its charm from its trunk “endowed with numerous buttresses” – we also speak of “elephant's foot” impastos – and its ample and erect crown, which diffuses a protective shade over these final residences, particularly at the hottest hours of the day.
DR.
The hackberry tree has the particularity of adapting well to extreme heat conditions, by turning over its leaves and folding its branches to limit the leaf surface exposed to radiation. As soon as the heat subsides, everyone returns to their original shape.
Classified as a “remarkable tree” by the ARBRES association, Remarkable Trees, in May 2016, this “celtis australis” is one of the Mediterranean species, naturally present in the South of France. To this day, it is not known whether it was planted in the Terre Cabade cemetery or whether it grew freely. This hackberry tree, whose age is also unknown, dates from the 19th century.
Its smooth bark when it is still young tends to crack as the tree ages.
Its fruits, the micocoules
Its flexible and resistant branches were used to strap barrels, and to make coachman's whips and riding crops. In Sauve, a small village in Gard, we continue to exploit the hackberry tree to make wooden forks used in stud farms because they do not harm the animals. As for hackberry leaves, they look like nettles and can be eaten in salads. In spring, this tree is adorned with small green flowers, pollinated by the wind. These produce small fruits (10 to 12 mm in diameter), fleshy and edible, which are called micocoules. Nice names for these bombs so appreciated by the birds which sing for the dead above the graves.
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