Latin Name: Morus rubra
Also Known As: Red Mulberry
Zone: 4-8
Height at Maturity: Typically reaches heights of 30-60 ft (9-18 m)
Preferred Soil and Climate: Indigenous to Eastern North America, the Red Mulberry thrives in various moist soils. Its seeds are dispersed widely by birds, allowing it to grow in nearly any non-arid soil. It flourishes in open environments but can tolerate shade. Best growth occurs in well-drained, moist soils under full sun.
Additional Notes: Prune during late fall or winter if necessary. It readily propagates from seeds or small cuttings. Noteworthy features include its distinctive leaves, white sap, fruits, and bark. The bark exhibits scaly ridges, ranging in color from grayish-brown in mature trees to orangish-brown in younger specimens.
Leaves are ovate and toothed, typically measuring 3-5 inches (7-12 cm) long and dark green in color. Leaf characteristics vary widely, from deeply lobed to unlobed, and textures can range from rough to smooth. Lobed leaves are more common on new shoots or leaves, while unlobed leaves predominate in the tree’s crown. Leaves turn yellow in autumn. In spring, greenish flowers appear on catkins. Edible female flowers mature into fruits resembling blackberries, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long, sweet, and varying in color from reddish to dark purple. They are consumed fresh or used in preserves, jams, jellies, and wines. Due to their short shelf life, they are typically not commercially available. Berries ripen gradually, allowing for harvesting over several weeks in early summer. The fruit is used in pies, tarts, cobblers, and eaten raw, similar to blackberries.
Common Issues: While generally robust, southern regions may experience issues with borers. Other potential concerns include whiteflies, bacterial leaf scorch, root rot, powdery mildew, witches’ broom, scale, mites, and mealybugs.
Wildlife: Berries are primarily consumed by thrushes, robins, waxwings, vireos, orioles, cardinals, finches, and other birds, as well as mammals such as squirrels, opossums, foxes, skunks, raccoons, and deer, which browse on twigs and foliage. Beavers consume the bark.