Red Mulberry Tree Facts
The red mulberry tree differs from its close cousin, the white mulberry, in that it is a native tree, growing in much of the eastern United States. Red mulberry trees produce a fruit that is an ingredient in jams, muffins, pies, and many other recipes. Does this Spark an idea?
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Leaves
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The red mulberry is easily identified by an unusual aspect of its leaves--on the same tree, the leaves can have very different shapes, some oval and others having two or more lobes.
Size
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The trunk of the typical red mulberry has a diameter between 2 and 3 feet. The height of the tree can be between 60 and 70 feet if the mulberry grows in an open area.
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Texture
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The upper side of a red mulberry leaf feels rough to the touch. On the other side, the leaf is fuzzy.
Berries
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The juicy berries ripen to a dark red-black color during the summer and grow as long as 1.5 inches.
Sexes
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You can tell the sex of a mulberry tree by its flowers. The tree is dioecious, which means it has male or female reproductive parts. The males have flowers that are cream colored, while the female has flowers that are green; only the female mulberry tree will develop fruit.
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