Description
Mulberry, Red 1-0 (Morus rubra)
Zone 5-9
Full sun to shade tolerant
Red mulberry reaches a mature size of 30 to 60 feet in height and 1 to 2 feet in diameter. Its habitat includes floodplains and low, moist slopes. The dark brown wood is light and soft, not strong, but quite durable. It was traditionally used for fencing, barrels, interior finish and agricultural tools. Produces fruit resembling a blackberry that is red when immature and turning deep purple when ripe in mid-summer. The fruit is sweet, juicy and edible and is a favorite food for squirrels, opossums, raccoons, turkeys and many songbirds.