Nursery / Tree
Morus rubra

Native Red Mulberry

The mulberry that belongs here. A Virginia native with sweet, dark fruit in early summer, grown at our own nursery in Great Falls.

Mulberry Tree

Red mulberry asks for very little. Once established it needs no spray program, only light pruning, and it grows in a wide range of soils, including the heavy clay common across Northern Virginia. It is one of the few fruit trees that genuinely tolerates partial shade, because in the wild it grows as an understory and edge tree along streams and woodland margins.

The fruit ripens over several weeks in early summer, and you will share it. Songbirds find red mulberry almost immediately, which is part of why it earns a place on the property: it feeds wildlife that might otherwise go for your other fruit.

Common questions

Before you plant.

  • Do I need two trees?Usually, yes, or at least a female tree with a male somewhere in the neighborhood. Red mulberry trees are generally either male or female, and only females bear fruit. Ask us about the plants in the current batch.
  • Will the fruit stain my patio?It can. Ripe mulberries drop steadily over the fruiting window. Keep the tree away from hardscape, seating areas and parked cars.
  • How big does it get?Typically 35 to 50 feet with a broad, rounded crown. Pruning in winter can keep a tree lower and the fruit within reach.
  • Does it need spraying or special care?No. Light shaping in winter is usually all it needs. Avoid pruning in spring, when mulberries bleed sap.
  • How soon will it fruit?Young trees often begin bearing within a few years of planting, with crops increasing as the tree grows.
  • How is red mulberry different from the mulberries in most yards?Most wild mulberries in the suburbs are white mulberry, Morus alba, an Asian species. Red mulberry is the native tree, with larger leaves that are rough on top and fuzzy underneath, and it matters to the insects and birds that evolved with it.
  • What can I do with the berries?Eat them fresh, freeze them, or make jam, pies, syrup and wine. They also dry well.

    • Planting & Growing Information

    Ships as
    Rooted cutting, 1-gallon container
    Hardiness zone
    5-9
    Mature height
    35-50 ft, broad rounded crown
    Water needs
    Low to moderate once established
    Sun / shade
    Full sun to partial shade
    Bloom season
    Inconspicuous catkins, mid-spring
    Care
    Minimal - light pruning to shape, no spray program needed
    Attributes
    Native to Virginia, wildlife magnet, usually male or female trees (only females fruit)
    Ships to
    Most US states. We do not currently ship live plants to California, Arizona, Hawaii, or Florida due to state agricultural restrictions. Local pickup is available in Great Falls, Virginia.
    Plants that pair well

    Good company
    for your mulberry tree.

    Fig Tree
    Fig Tree
    Another low-maintenance fruiting tree with overlapping site preferences.
    Pawpaw Tree
    Pawpaw Tree
    A shade-tolerant native to round out a small mixed orchard.
    Egyptian Walking Onion
    Egyptian Walking Onion
    A self-sufficient ground-layer companion that needs the same easy-care approach.
    Native red mulberry

    A Virginia native
    the birds already know.

    Red mulberry is the mulberry that belongs here. It grows wild along stream banks and woodland edges from southern New England to Florida, and it is one of the first fruits of the season for dozens of songbird species.

    The berries are dark purple to nearly black when ripe, sweet with a little tartness, and they ripen over several weeks in early summer. Once established the tree needs no spray program and little pruning, and it tolerates partial shade better than most fruit trees.

    It is also worth planting for its own sake. The native red mulberry is losing ground to the Asian white mulberry, which hybridizes with it freely. Planting true Morus rubra from our own nursery keeps the native tree in the landscape.

    • Native red mulberryMorus rubra, grown at our nursery in Great Falls.
    • Wildlife and edge plantingsA strong choice for hedgerows, stream buffers and the woodland edge.
    • Food forest canopyA mid-sized fruiting tree for the upper layer of a food forest.
    • Current stockInventory varies by season and batch. Contact us to confirm what is available now, and in what size.

    What to know before you buy

    Mulberries drop ripe fruit steadily. Do not plant over patios, driveways or cars.

    Red mulberry trees are usually either male or female, and only females bear fruit. Ask us about the plants in the current batch before you buy.

    It grows into a tree of roughly 35 to 50 feet. Give it room, or plan to prune it to keep the fruit in reach.

    Prune lightly in winter. Mulberries bleed sap if cut in spring.

    Sizes and formats

    What we ship.

    Plants ship in the dormant seasons, late fall and early spring, with local pickup in Great Falls. Availability changes by batch, so ask if you need a particular size.

    Native Red Mulberry
    Native Red Mulberry
    Morus rubra
    The native red mulberry, Morus rubra, grown at our nursery in Great Falls. Early summer fruit and one of the best trees for songbirds.
    NativeFood bearingTree
    Available as: rooted cutting, 1-gallon container
    Wholesale and bulk

    Planting at scale.

    We supply landscapers, nurseries, farms and larger residential projects with native red mulberry in quantity. Stock is seasonal and limited, so get in touch ahead of your planting window and we will plan around your order.

    Ask about wholesale →
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    Planning an orchard, guild or garden around this plant? An on-site consult in the DC area starts at $250, a written Remote Strategy at $1,500, or start small with a free guide.