5

I was identifying a relatively young tree in my yard, and I'm pretty sure it is a Mulberry tree. I live in Massachusetts and came across this article stating that red Mulberries are endangered in Mass so I was motivated to investigate further.

Red and white Mulberries are the most common types, but it doesn't seem to be either one.

Red: The undersides of the leaves are not downy so it seems that it is not red. The undersides are somewhat scratchy. I also live close to Boston (Somerville) which seems like an unlikely location. On the other hand, it is growing on the side of a hill in the understory of some large spruce trees which seems to be a preferred location for red.

White: Looking at this article, the leaf margins do not look like a white. The leaf edges of mine are pointy but white has more rounded edges.

I have some pictures below. Would love to find out which kind of Mulberry it is.

More details in response to comments:

  • Tree hasn't fruited yet
  • Leaves are about 4-7"
  • Tree is about high 15' high
  • You can see a bud in the photos

enter image description here enter image description here enter image description here enter image description here

VividD
  • 5,870
  • 3
  • 27
  • 74
minou
  • 204
  • 1
  • 2
  • 8

6 Answers6

2

I think it's a White.

The leaf margins look a bit off because they range from more saw-toothed to more rounded. The leaves with fewer lobes have sharper margins.

Ime (have 4 on my land, two old, two young) they'll be >15' tall before the bark starts acquiring ridges.

Paul Nardini
  • 2,183
  • 9
  • 7
0

It looks like a white mulberry. According to this site, https://www.inaturalist.org/guide_taxa/354710 Image from this site

"Ecological threat in the united states 6 White mulberry invades forest edges and disturbed forests and open areas, displacing native species. It is slowly outcompeting and replacing native red mulberry (Morus rubra) through hybridization and possibly through transmission of a harmful root disease"enter image description here

Treeman
  • 31
  • 2
0

Everyone is wrong it's actually a native red mulberry. All you have to do is check the leaf, the red is hairy and light green, the white mulberry is smooth and dark green. To bad everyone missidentified this rare tree ! I wonder how many native trees have been missidentified and cut down. It's a shame that people jump to conclusions without having all the knowledge on the subject.

Joe
  • 1
0

enter image description here

Pretty sure it’s a red mulberry. Moved in 3 years ago and this is the first year I’ve seen berries. No idea on what variety of red or if it is native or not but really looking forward to the first harvest. It appears like it will be a bumper crop since the branches are literally weighed down with fruit. Not sure if it made a difference, but even though I didn’t know what it was I’ve pruned it every year and it always grows so much faster after cleaning out some of the extra branches.

enter image description here

Kristie
  • 1
0

From everything I've heard, and watched on youtube. Specifically about propagating mulberry bushes, or planting them from nurseries , it seems to me that Mulberry trees, and cuttings, quite often fruit the first year. I've even seen cuttings about 8 in tall that already start to bear fruit. So if it's already a few years old and not fruiting, it might be a fruitless Mulberry tree.

B Cause
  • 1
-1

looks like bitter sweetnightshade shade to me.

rdb
  • 1