Morus alba 'Fruitless'     
White mulberry   
Moraceae Family     

Form: large rounded dense tree; dark green with dense canopy
Seasonality: deciduous
Size: 30-50ft with equal spread; fast growth rate
Leaves: simple, alternate, lobed; top darker, underside lighter with pronounced venation; lots of variation in shape and number of lobes even on the same tree
Flowers: catkin (flower is present but sterile on fruitless varieties); pollen is highly allergenic
Fruit: small berries (not seen on fruitless varieties)
Stems/Trunks: smooth when young; with age gray and heavily fissured; attractive texture
Range/Origin: China; naturalized throughout North America
Hardiness: to 0°F

LANDSCAPE VALUE:

• no current uses; cannot be sold in Tucson
• attractive, dense shade (established plants)

CULTURAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Exposure: full sun
• Water: drought tolerant; appreciates supplemental (once per month or more)
• Soil: adaptable, prefers uniform, deep
• Propagation: seed, hardwood cuttings
• Maintenance: low; fallen leaves are large and easy to clean up; fruit fall (on fruiting varieties)

NOTES:

outlawed in Tucson due to allergenic pollen
short-lived
A fine shade tree with excellent drought and heat tolerance, unfortunately banned because of its irritative pollen.

notable varieties:
  'Kingan' large, dark green leaf, heart-shaped
  'Stribling' deeply cut leaves
  'Chaparral' weeping form, grafted onto tall trunks

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This page was first created August 2, 2002 and last modified June 1, 2006.

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Web page design and photographs by Toni Moore, Master Gardener
email to: tmoore1@flash.net

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