154 



RED MULBERRY. 

 Morus rubra, Linnaeus. 



GENUS DESCRIPTION — The genus Morus comprises about 10 species of which number 3 

 are native to North America and 1 to Pennsylvania. Its representatives occur as trees or 

 shrubs in eastern North America, Central America, South America, and Europe but are most 

 abundant in Asia. The White Mulberry (Morus alba L.), a native of Asia, has been planted 

 extensively in this State. 



FORM — Usually attains a height of 35-50 ft. with a diameter 12-18 inches but may reach 

 a height of 70 ft. with a diameter of 3 feet. Largest in Ohio and Mississippi valleys. Trunk 

 usually short, subdividing near the ground. Crown usually broad, round-topped, and dense. 



BARK — Begins to roughen about third year by splitting longitudinally or diagonally. On 

 older trunks rather thin, dark grayish-brovni, peels off in long narrow flakes which somewhat 

 resemble the flakes of Catalpa. See Pig. 55. 



TWIGS — Stout, smooth, glossy or occasionally dull, slightly zigzag, greenish-brown tinged 



with red, enlarged at nodes to bear buds and leaves, covered with few scattered inconspicuous 



lenticels, roughened at base of season's growth by ring-like bud-scale scars. A milky juice 

 is excreted from twigs if they are cut or punctured. 



BUDS — Alternate; terminal bud absent; ovate, round in cross-section, sharp-pointed, about 

 2/5 of an inch long, slightly divergent and laterally inclined, covered by 3-9 exposed bud-scales 

 which are 2-ranked, greenish-brown to greenish-red with darker margin. Buds are located on 

 twig enlargements. A bud is often found at end of twig; it is not a terminal bud but an 

 axillary one sometimes called a pseudo-terminal bud which means a false terminal bud. 



LEAVES — Al^iernate, simple, ovate, 3-5 inches long, often cordate at base, serrate on margin, 

 acute at apex, usually with 3 primary veins, except in lobed forms where more may be 

 present. Usually not lobed but occasionally glove-form, 3-lobed or 5-lobed. Leaves are slightly 

 rough on upper surface. 



LEAF-SCARS — Alternate, 2-ranked, raised on twig enlargements, hollow or concave, almost 

 circular, with raised bundle-scars arranged in an ellipse or distributed irregularly over 

 leaf -scar. 



FLOWERS — Appear May or June. Staminate flowers occur in narrow spikes about 2 Inches 

 long originating in axils of prospective or developing leaves on short hairy green stalks. 

 Pistillate flowers occur in dense spikes about 1 inch long. Occasionally the staminate and 

 pistillate are slightly mixed on a spike. 



FRUIT — Appears about July. Compound or aggregate, about 1 inch long, composed of many 

 small drupes, at first green, later red, finally dark purple, juicy, sweet and edible. 



WOOD — Ring-porous; pores in summer wood small in groups of 3-6; rays usually quite distinct; 

 orange yellow to yellowish-brown, with thin nearly white sapwood; soft, not strong, durable 

 in contact with soil. Weighs 36.75 lbs. per cubic foot. Used for fence posts, scythe snaths, 

 cooperage, boat building. 



DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS— The Red Mulberry, also known as simply Mulberry 

 and sometimes Black Mulberry, can be distinguished by its large alternate 2-ranked greenish- 

 brown buds with darker colored bud-scale margins, by its 3-veined leaves which have their 

 veins sunken on upper surface, and are usually rough on the upper surface. The milky juice 

 of the twigs and its peculiar flowers and fruit are distinctive. The leaves are occasionally 

 lobed. In winter the elevated and hollowed leaf-scars with bundle-scars arranged in an ellipse 

 are characteristic. 



RANGE — Massachusetts to Florida, west to Kansas and Nebraska. 



DISTRIBUTION IN PENNSYLVANIA — Local and sparse in the eastern and southern parts, 

 occasional in the central part and rare in mountainous parts. 



HABITAT — Prefers rich moist soil. Most common in valleys and on foothills. Usually mixed 

 with other hardwoods. 



IMPORTANCE OF THE SPECIES — The Red Mulberry does not produce wood of any special 



commercial importance because it is nowhere abundant and does not reach a large size. It 

 is used for fence posts because it is durable in contact with the soil. The wood resembles Black 



Walnut when polished, only is somewhat lighter. It produces a pleasing effect when made up 



into furniture. It cannot be strongly recommended for forestry purposes but it is an excellent 

 ornamental tree and also furnishes food for birds. 



