White Mulberry
Morus alba
A deciduous tree or large shrub featuring bright green, alternate, simple leaves that are often lobed or unlobed with serrated margins.
- Light
- Full sun, requiring at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily
- Water
- Moderate watering needs once established, tolerant of occasional dry spells; avoid waterlogged soil
- Growth
- Fast-growing deciduous tree or multi-stemmed shrub reaching mature heights of 30 to 50 feet with a broad, rounded canopy
Care instructions
Provide full sun exposure and well-draining soil. Water regularly during the establishment period, and apply a balanced fertilizer in early spring if growth is slow.
Growing details
Sunlight
Full sun, requiring at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily
Watering
Moderate watering needs once established, tolerant of occasional dry spells; avoid waterlogged soil
Soil
Adaptable to a wide range of soil types including clay, loam, and sand, provided they are well-draining with a neutral to slightly acidic pH
Hardiness zone
USDA zones 4 through 9
Growth habit
Fast-growing deciduous tree or multi-stemmed shrub reaching mature heights of 30 to 50 feet with a broad, rounded canopy
Bloom season
Spring, producing small, inconspicuous greenish-white catkins
Propagation
Propagated easily through hardwood or softwood cuttings, grafting, or from seed
Common pests & issues
Generally resilient, though susceptible to occasional cankers, leaf spot, scales, and spider mites
Similar species
Red Mulberry (Morus rubra), which features larger, rougher leaves and is native to North America, and Paper Mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera), which has fuzzy, velvety undersides on the leaves