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White Mulberry
(Morus alba)
Silkworm Mulberry, Russian Mulberry
This is a tree from China. We have an example of it in our schoolyard habitat because birds love the fruit AND the fact the leaves are used to feed silkworms is a definite connection to our town's history in the silk industry.
The picture below shows unripe fruit on the newly planted (spring 2000) tree. The mulberry is made up of many little bead-like fruits, each with one seed in it. They are sweet and juicy. Because they do not keep or ship well after picking you do not see mulberries for sale in stores. A mulberry's shape is cylindrical.
The White Mulberry isn't the prettiest tree you can plant, but it does put up with dry growing conditions and it grows quickly to give shade. The fact that birds like it is also in its favor. Birds will spread the seeds in their poop, but, unlike the black and red mulberry, the poop will not stain cars and laundry.
You can buy weeping mulberry trees (droopy branches) and trees that do not have fruit. The fruit can be annoying if the tree drops it on a sidewalk or your patio! Given the books say this isn't an especially great tree I wonder why one would bother having it if it doesn't bear fruit to eat and for the birds? Perhaps some people think it is a nice tree, after all, it will grow in poor conditions in cities.
Study Pointers:
- After reading the info above, can you think of any other fruits that arrange themselves more or less like the mulberry?
- Find out more about raising silkworms and harvesting the silk fiber.
- What happened to the plans for raising silkworms in the United States? Many people thought it would be a great idea and planted the White Mulberry in preparation to harvesting its leaves for silkworm food.
- Silkworms can be purchased from biological supply houses in case you are looking for a science project. Check out what you need to feed them. (Forget stripping the leaves from our tree!!!!)
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