The flowers are small, green catkins.
White mulberries are the sweetest, while red and darker varieties are tart and sweet.
The fruit is safe to eat.
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However, the leaves and unripe fruit, and sap of mulberry trees can be mildly toxic to humans.
Mulberry Tree Care
Mulberry trees are low-maintenance plants when grown in their perennial zone.
Light
Mulberry trees can thrive in both full sun and partial shade conditions.
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Ideally, they should get at least four hours of direct sun per day.
As with many fruiting trees, more light helps the trees produce more fruit.
The trees can thrive inpH levelsvarying from neutral to mildly acidic.
The Spruce / K. Dave
Using 2 to 3 gallons per week for the first year is recommended.
These trees flourish in typical outdoor humidity levels withinhardiness zones4 through 8.
Types of Mulberry Trees
Mulberry trees are native to Asia and North America.
The Spruce / K. Dave
They can be grown indoors by chilling and germinating the seeds.
Although relatively disease-free, these trees sometimes experience bacterial blights and fungal leaf spot diseases.Remove diseased plant parts.
Fungal diseases are rarely fatal and usually require no treatment.
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How Long Do Mulberry Trees Bloom?
The blooms continue coming back every year on their own.
What Do Mulberry Tree Flowers Look and Smell Like?
The flowers on mulberry trees are small and yellow-green.
Continue providing your tree with adequate water and annual fertilizer to encourage healthy growth.
It’s best to plant one of the sterile cultivars that don’t produce fruit to avoid this.
Tip
Not all mulberry trees are messy.
Only the female trees produce the fruits that create the mess.
If you want a mess-free mulberry tree, find a reputable nursery and purchase a male tree.
Rampant Spread
Mulberry trees can spread very easily through self-seeding.
Animal Damage
Mulberry trees are prone to damage from animals.
After about three years, the trees are usually large enough to resist animal damage.
A mulberry tree grown from a seed can take eight to 10 years to bear fruit.
Mulberry trees are self-fertile, meaning you only need one to produce fruit.
Although if you have two, it might yield more fruit.
Cut down the tree and dig up as much of the root structure as possible.
Even a small piece of root left behind can continue to grow.
If any new growth emerges, apply a concentrated non-selective herbicide (such as glyphosate).
Red mulberry trees typically live for 75 years or less.
It may not necessarily be illegal to plant a white mulberry tree, but some states prohibit growingM.
Check with your local authorities before planting a white mulberry tree.
North Carolina State Extension.
Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States.
University of California Integrated Pest Management Program.
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.
