White Mulberry (Common Mulberry, Silkworm Mulberry)
Morus alba · Moraceae (Mulberry family)
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Leaf Morphology
Leaf Type
Simple, deciduous
Shape
Lobed (palmate-like with 3 distinct rounded lobes), ovate to cordate base
Margin
Serrate (coarsely and bluntly toothed)
Arrangement
Alternate
Venation
Palmate venation radiating from the base, transitioning to pinnate venation along the central lobe; prominent pale yellowish-green midrib and primary veins.
Key Features
Highly variable leaf shape (often lobed like a mitten or sporting three distinct lobes), milky sap in twigs and leaves, coarse serrated margins, and palmate venation from the asymmetric base.
Description
The White Mulberry is a fast-growing small to medium-sized deciduous tree reaching heights of 30 to 50 feet. It features a rounded crown, rough furrowed bark, and famously variable leaves that can be unlobed or deeply lobed on the same branch.
Habitat
Found in disturbed areas, forest edges, urban environments, roadsides, and abandoned homesteads; adapts well to a wide range of soil types and moisture levels; thrives in full sun to partial shade.
Native Range
Native to temperate Asia (primarily China), but widely introduced and naturalized across North America, Europe, and other temperate regions worldwide.