Mulberry
Mulberry
Two species of mulberry are most common, the white mulberry, morus alba, and the red mulberry, morus rubra. The plant is sometimes grown in landscapes but is generally considered to be a nuisance due to litter. The trees are weak wooded but do adapt to adverse sites. The fruit attract birds and the birds and fruit in combination can make a mess.
Mulberries are dioecious which means the plants are either male or female. Both sexes must be grown to insure pollination however only the female bears fruit.
The white mulberry can grow 50 feet tall. The fruit is up to 2 inches long on well cared for trees but smaller on those growing in the wild. The berries are white to violet colored.
The red mulberry will reach 60 feet and bears red to black berries. The fruits of this tree are more acidic than those of the white mulberry. The berries ripen in June or July.
Mulberries grow in most soils but are at their best in light soil.
The fruits are used in juice, pies or wine or eaten raw. They are not acidic enough to be canned unless a source of acid is added. The fruit of the white mulberry may be too sweet for some tastes. It can be dried or added to breads.
