Mulberry Tree Species: Red, White, and Black Mulberry Compared

Overview

The mulberry tree takes its name from its distinctive fruit—an elongated, aggregate berry that resembles a stretched blackberry or raspberry. Three primary species exist, each differing in size, habitat, and fruit color, which ranges from deep purple and red to pink and white. Modern breeding has also produced fruitless cultivars valued as ornamental shade trees.

Species

• Red Mulberry (Morus rubra): Native to the eastern half of the United States. A forest understory tree reaching 70 feet.
• White Mulberry (Morus alba): Originating in eastern and central China, introduced to North America by early colonists for silkworm cultivation. Now naturalized and often considered a weed tree. Can reach 80 feet with variable forms including pyramidal and weeping.
• Black Mulberry (Morus nigra): Native to western Asia. Hardy only to zone 7, limiting its U.S. range primarily to the Pacific Coast. Grows to about 30 feet, often as a multi-stemmed shrub unless trained.

Description

All mulberries are deciduous but leaf out at different times: white mulberry emerges in early spring, red in mid-spring, and black in late spring to early summer. Leaves are bright, glossy green, irregularly lobed, and turn yellow in fall. Longevity varies dramatically: red mulberry rarely surpasses 75 years, while black mulberry can bear fruit for centuries.

Fruit

Botanically, the mulberry is an aggregate fruit composed of numerous tiny drupes. Color shifts from red to deep purplish-red as it ripens. Unlike blackberries or raspberries, the stem remains attached after picking. The fruit is highly attractive to wildlife and excellent for pies, jams, and preserves, though it can stain pavement.

Mulberries and Silkworms

Silkworms feed exclusively on white mulberry leaves, a relationship cultivated in China for millennia to produce silk. Notable horticulturists like Luther Burbank worked to develop improved mulberry varieties for enhanced silk production.

Culture

Mulberries are low-maintenance trees given sufficient space—at least 15 feet between plants. They require full sun and well-drained, deep loam. Fertilization needs are minimal, and established trees are drought-tolerant, needing supplemental water only during prolonged dry spells. Keep trees away from hardscapes to avoid fruit stains.