Red mulberry
Morus rubra

You will need to battle the birds to get your share of the succulent, sweet fruits of the red mulberry (Morus rubra) tree.   As soon as the fruits ripen to dark red purple in the spring – and sometimes before they have fully ripened – birds and small mammals, including raccoons, squirrels, and opossums, devour the fruits.   Humans eat the fruits fresh, in jellies and jams, strudels and pies, and use them to make wine.

This deciduous tree that grows up to sixty feet tall is found throughout the eastern United States where soils are somewhat moist but not soggy.  In Florida, red mulberry frequently is found along the edges of marshes where it reportedly was planted by aboriginal peoples.  Its attractive bark is greyish in color and peels in distinctive vertical strips. 

The alternate leaves of red mulberry are highly variable in shape and rough to the touch.  Leaves on immature trees frequently are lobed, and most adult leaves are entire with a pointed tip.  The edges of the leaves are serrated.   

Red mulberry thrives in the well-drained soils found in most yards.  Plant this tree in your landscape to feed the birds and yourself.

Photos & text by Janice Broda.