Maud Gordon Holmes Arboretum

Scientific name: Morus spp.

Common name: mulberry

Native: Yes

Native range: Morus rubra is native to North America [1], whereas Morus alba is native to China [3].

Distribution in North America: Click to view the USDA Plants Database page for Morus spp.

USDA Zones: 4-8 [7]

Maximum age: Red mulberry lives up to 125 years [2], whereas white mulberry may be slightly longer lived, surviving to 150 years [4].

Ecology: Both white mulberry and red mulberry fruits are an important source of forage for birds and small mammals [1,2,3,4]. 

Ethnobotany: Both native and non-native mulberries are celebrated for their delicious, abundant fruits that are used in pies, jams, wines, and several other culinary applications [1,3]. Native red mulberry is used more widely by Indigenous American groups than non-native white mulberry, however both are used for a wide array of medicinal purposes [5,6].