Tree Description
Red mulberries are medium or large trees growing to 50 feet tall with a trunk up to 2 feet in diameter. They have a spreading crown.
Range / Site Description
These trees occur in East and Central Texas, west to the Devils River. They prefer rich, moist soils of river bottoms and often grow in the shade of larger trees.
Leaf
The leaves are simple and alternate, 3” to 9” long and 2” to 5” wide, heart-shaped or rounded at the base, with a sharp-tooth leaf margin. Some leaves are mitten-shaped or 3- to 5-lobed. Leaves are rough-hairy above and soft-hairy below, and they turn yellow in the fall.
Flower & Fruit
Male and female flowers are borne on separate trees as cylindrical spikes, appearing with the leaves in the spring. The male flowers are 2” to 3” long, and the female flowers are 1” long.
They produce composite fruits shaped like an elongated blackberry, ¾” to 1” long. The fruit is red and turns dark purple or black when ripe and edible.
Interesting Facts
Like the honey mesquite in West Texas, red mulberry is one of the harbingers of spring in East Texas, and it is said that the appearance of its leaves means that all danger of frost has passed.
Species Summary
| Scientific Name: | Morus rubra |
| Secondary Names: | Moral |
| Tree Type: | Deciduous |
| Dimensions: | Height: 50 feet Trunk Diameter: 2 feet |
| Leaf Structure: | Simple, alternate |
| Leaf Size: | 3-9 inches long and 2-5 inches wide |
| Leaf Shape: | Heart-shaped or rounded at the base |
| Leaf Margin: | Sharp-toothed |
| Additional Information: | iNaturalist – Red Mulberry |
Source: Texas A&M Forest Service Trees of Texas – Red Mulberry