Mulberry tree care

The mulberry -- genus *Morus* -- occupies a complicated position in North American horticulture. Native red mulberry (*M. rubra*) is a valued wildlife tree and food source. White mulberry (*M. alba*), introduced from China for silkworm cultivation in the colonial period, has naturalized widely and.

The mulberry — genus Morus — occupies a complicated position in North American horticulture. Native red mulberry (M. rubra) is a valued wildlife tree and food source. White mulberry (M. alba), introduced from China for silkworm cultivation in the colonial period, has naturalized widely and hybridizes with native red mulberry, threatening the genetic integrity of the native species. Black mulberry (M. nigra), the most prized for fruit quality, is tender and rarely grown outside zones 7-10.

Growing mulberry for fruit is straightforward — it is among the easiest fruit trees to manage. The main management considerations are fruit mess and invasive concerns around white mulberry.

I don't grow mulberry at my Long Island plot, but it is native to my region. This guide is sourced from Missouri Botanical Garden and NC State Extension.

Species identification

Per Missouri Botanical Garden:

• ***Morus rubra (red mulberry):* Native to eastern North America; zones 4-8; fruit dark red to black; good flavor; less cold-hardy than white mulberry
• ***Morus alba (white mulberry):* Native to China; zones 4-9; fruit white, pink, or red; flavor variable (often mild/sweet); widely naturalized and invasive in many states; leaves used for silkworm rearing
• ***Morus nigra (black mulberry):* Native to western Asia; zones 6-10; fruit dark black; best flavor of the three; slower growing; longer-lived

Per NC State Extension, red and white mulberry readily hybridize where both are present, and most "red mulberry" trees in urban and suburban settings are hybrids with variable characteristics.