The White
Mulberry (Morus alba) has a bad reputation among many, since
it grows like a weed, then messily drops berries that stain
sidewalks purple and leaves them gooey for weeks.
It is
named for the color of its buds, rather than the color of
its fruit.
Growing
conditions
Grow
quickly when young, but then slows down and rarely exceeds 50
feet tall.
It is quite tolerant of drought, pollution and poor soil, though
it prefers warm, well-drained soil, preferably deep loam. Although
somewhat drought-resistant, they may drop fruit before it has
fully ripened if they get too dry. Plant in full sun, at least
15' apart, and not near a sidewalk! Mulberries are quite wind-resistant.
Uses
Mulberries contain
anthocyanins, edible pigments which produce orange, red and
blue dyes which are natural, non-toxic and water-soluble.
They also have antioxidant properties, improve visual acuity,
and have a number of other medicinal uses, besides making
good pie, jam and wine.
Mulberry leaves, particularly those of
the White Mulberry, are the sole food source silkworms.
Mulberry trees are very attractive to
a wide variety of birds, bees and butterflies.
Fun
Facts
A love story about Pyramus and Thisbe
explains the color of the fruits.
Unripe fruit and green parts of the plant
have a white sap that is intoxicating and mildly hallucinogenic.
Size
Up to 50 feet tall.
Form & Shape
White mulberries are variable
in form, including drooping and pyramidal shapes.
Bark
Young
bark, the bark along the roots, and the inner bark along the
trunk often are bright orange in color.
Leaves
Thin, shiny, light-green
leaves are variously lobed even on the same plant. Some are
unlobed while others are glove-shaped. They are alternately
arranged, and serrated on the margin.
Flowers
The flowers are
held on short, chartreuse, pendulous, nondescript catkins that
appear in the axils of the current season's growth and on spurs
on older wood. They are wind-pollinated, though some cultivars
will set fruit without pollination.
Fruit
The mulberry is a multiple or collective
fruit, ¾-1" long. They begin as white with pink
edges and are red when ripening, which they do slowly. Harvest
in late spring, either by hand or just spread a sheet on the
ground and shake the branches.
