The European nettle tree, or Mediterranean hackberry (Celtis australis L.) is a large deciduous tree belonging to the Ulmaceae family. The genus (Celtis) is thought to derive from a term used in the High Middle Ages to describe the plant. The specific epithet (australis) comes from the latin meaning ‘southern’. The European nettle tree grows spontaneously in the Mediterranean region and in western Asia. It is commonly found in Italy both on the mainland and the islands, even though it it rarely forms part of dense populations. It is not usually used in gardens but is frequently used to line roads and streets.
