White Mulberry

Moraceae

LIFE FORM: Tree

NATIVITY: Eastern Asia

VEGETATIVE CHARACTERISTICS:

30 to 50 feet tall; simple leaves are alternate and irregularly lobed; twigs exude milky sap.

FLOWERS:

Inconspicuous.

FRUIT/DISPERSAL AGENTS:

Blue-black berries are edible; dispersed by birds; damaged trees resprout readily from the base.

ECOLOGICAL PREFERENCE:

Minimally maintained public parks and open space; woodlands that develop on abandoned open space; chain-link fence lines; unmowed highway banks and median strips with frequent salt applications.

ENVIRONMENTAL FUNCTION:

Heat reduction in paved areas; salt tolerance along roadways; drought tolerance on compacted soils; air pollution tolerance; food and/or habitat for wildlife; erosion control on slopes.

CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE:

Widely cultivated in Asia as food of the silkworm caterpillars; a tea made from the leaves has medicinal uses in Asia; fruit is edible. Introduced as an ornamental species. Invasive species in minimally managed habitats.