Red mulberry (Morus rubra), a slender deciduous fruit tree associated with aboriginal activity, is an occasional part of the hammock canopy at the Oslo Riverfront Conservation Area in moist but well-drained soils. Its alternate leaves range from 4 – 7″ long and usually are heart-shaped …
Sometimes leaves, especially young leaves, are lobed …
The top of the leaves are dull green and scabrous (rough). Below the leaves are paler green with a velvety pubescence.
It bears juicy, tasty compound berries that are about 1″ long in the early spring. Birds, squirrels, and lots of wildlife love them. People eat the fruits fresh and make them into jellies, jams, pies, and drinks.
Its bark is distinctive, greyish in color with long scaly plates, and is shown below with a gumbo limbo (Bursersa simarouba) in the background for bark contrast …
Lichens often festoon its bark …
Red mulberry can be a great addition to your yard!
Enjoy the Oslo Riverfront Conservation Area 