# white mulberry (*Morus alba*) The white mulberry tree is a tall tree with big, heart-shaped leaves. It produces sweet, juicy berries that many animals love to eat! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 27 - **Habitat:** Urban areas ![white mulberry](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Morus-alba.jpg&width=800) Photo: GerardM, CC BY-SA 2.1 es · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Morus-alba.jpg) ## Appearance The white mulberry is a medium-sized deciduous tree with a rounded crown and shiny green leaves, often variably lobed. Its small, cylindrical fruits ripen to an array of colors including white, pink, purple, or even black, not just white. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Rosales - **Family:** Moraceae - **Genus:** Morus ## Interesting facts - Ancient emperors planted these trees to feed silkworms and make luxurious silk! - Despite its name, its juicy fruits can be white, pink, purple, or even black when ripe! - Mulberry 'berries' are actually clusters of tiny fruits, all fused together! - The white mulberry can shoot its pollen into the air faster than a speeding bullet! ## Special abilities - **Silkworm Feast:** White mulberry has specialized leaves packed with nutrients that are the sole food for silkworms, helping produce silk. - **Rapid Recovery:** This tough tree can quickly regrow from pruning or damage, allowing it to thrive even in disturbed areas. - **Fruit Spreader:** White mulberry produces abundant, sweet fruits that attract many animals, effectively dispersing its seeds far and wide. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 1000-2000 cm - **Spread:** 800-1500 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Wind ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** silkworm (*Bombyx mori*) — sole food source for silk production - **Eats:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — disperses seeds in droppings - **Eats:** [Eastern Gray Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-gray-squirrel) (*Sciurus carolinensis*) — helps spread seeds by burying them - **Eats:** humans (*Homo sapiens*) — cultivated for fruit and silk production ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Broadleaf Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/broadleaf-tree): Broadleaf trees are angiosperms characterized by flat, wide leaves that are typically shed annually in temperate climates. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Fruit Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-tree): A fruit tree is a perennial tree that produces fruit, which is edible to humans or animals. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. - [Timber](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/timber): Timber refers to wood that has been prepared for use in building and carpentry. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always wash your hands after touching leaves or berries. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify white mulberry? Compare how the fruit is clustered, the leaves and their arrangement, the stems and any thorns. Red, blue and black fruits grow on lots of unrelated plants, and the same color can show up on both edible and poisonous species. Berry Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is white mulberry? 1000-2000 cm ### How wide does white mulberry spread? 800-1500 cm ### When does white mulberry bloom? Spring ### Is white mulberry edible? Yes ### Is white mulberry toxic? None ### What is white mulberry's lifecycle? Perennial ### How is white mulberry pollinated? Wind ## Where to spot - [Abbott Farm Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/abbott-farm-historic-district) — New Jersey, US · Historic District - [Arden Park–East Boston Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arden-park-east-boston-historic-district) — Michigan, US · Historic District - [Barrington Civic Center Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/barrington-civic-center-historic-district) — Rhode Island, US · Historic District - [Broadway Avenue Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/broadway-avenue-historic-district) — Michigan, US · Historic District - [Brooklyn Botanic Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brooklyn-botanic-garden) — New York, US · Botanical Garden - [Capitol Park Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/capitol-park-historic-district) — Michigan, US · Historic District [View all places to see white mulberry](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/white-mulberry) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [White Mulberry: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-mulberry)