Carolina Nature

Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of North Carolina

White Mulberry (Morus alba)

Plantae>Magnoliophyta>Magnoliopsida>Urticales>Moraceae>Morus alba L.

White Mulberry (Morus alba) leaves

White Mulberry in a fairly common small tree of waste places, introduced from Eurasia.

White Mulberry (Morus alba) leaves

The leaves are similar in shape to the native Red Mulberry (M. rubra) and the introduced Paper Mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera), but are glossy and less rough above. Like those two, the shape is extremely variable. Confusing the situation, Red Mulberry and White Mulberry often hybridize, resulting in trees with intermediate characteristics.

Durham, NC 5/28/03.

White Mulberry (Morus alba) fruits

The blackberry-like aggregate fruits turn from green to white to red to black as they ripen.

Durham, NC 5/28/03.

White Mulberry (Morus alba) flowers

Pistillate (female) flowers.

Durham, NC 4/4/07.

White Mulberry (Morus alba) flowers

Detail of pistillate flowers.

Durham, NC 4/4/07.

White Mulberry (Morus alba) flowers

The staminate (male) flowers are more compact than those of Red or Paper Mulberry.

White Mulberry is normally dioecious, meaning male and female flowers are borne on separate trees, but this tree also had some female flowers.

White Mulberry (Morus alba)

Bark of a young tree.

Durham, NC 4/4/07.

More information:
Poisonous Plants of NC
Trees of Wisconsin
University of Connecticut
Virginia Tech Dendrology

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