Leaf Morphology
Leaf Type
Simple, deciduous
Shape
Ovate to broadly cordate, sometimes lobed with 1-3 lobes on vigorous shoots
Margin
Serrate to coarsely serrate or dentate
Arrangement
Alternate
Venation
Palmate venation radiating from the base with prominent veins and midrib
Key Features
Rough, sandpapery upper leaf surface, milky sap in the twigs when broken, cordate leaf base, and highly variable leaf shapes on the same branch (some unlobed, some mitten-shaped or lobed)
Description
Red Mulberry is a small to medium-sized deciduous tree typically growing 30 to 50 feet tall with a rounded, spreading crown. The bark is grayish-brown and furrowed with scaly plates. It produces inconspicuous greenish flowers in spring followed by juicy, blackberry-like aggregate fruits that turn from red to dark purple-black when ripe, highly prized by birds and wildlife.
Habitat
Rich woods, floodplains, forest edges, and along streams in moist, well-draining soils with partial to full sun
Native Range
Native to eastern and central North America, ranging from southern Ontario south to Florida, and west to Texas and Nebraska