Red Mulberry is beloved by birds, especially the Northern Mockingbird. Mammals also love the fruits, and Red Mulberry is a larval host to the Mourning Cloak and Red Admiral butterflies and various moth species.
The fruits appear in spring, maturing to black by late summer. Delicious off the tree* and used in jams and wine. Mulberries generally are not sold in stores because of poor shelf life.
As a young tree Red Mulberry has deeply lobed leaves, kind of like Sassafras (see fourth photo). Unlobed or more typical leaves are kind of heart-shaped and usually found higher up on the tree. The leaves' undersides are soft, and the leaves turn yellow in fall.
Plant Red Mulberry near your home (but not where the fruits will land on sidewalks or driveways) so you can hear the lovely songs from the happy mockingbirds landing on the branches and devouring the fruits.
*Fruits eaten before they are ripe can be toxic.
Photo of trunk: Katja Schulz
