Red Mulberry
Description:
The leaf may or may not be lobed. It is heart-shaped, 2 to 4 inches wide and coarsely toothed on the edges. White mulberry leaves are similar but smaller and shinier. The bark on older trunks somewhat resembles that of elm. With age it becomes gray-brown and slightly furrowed. The fruit looks like a blackberry. It turns from green to red to blue-black when fully ripe. The twigs of red mulberry are moderately stout and zigzagged on new growth. The buds are larger than on white mulberry and have a two-toned appearance with green and brown bud scales.
Size:
A small tree seldom exceeding 30 feet in height and 8 inches in diameter.
Habitat and conservation:
Usually it grows in narrow valleys and on lower north and east slopes. It is becoming common in bottomlands and is usually the mulberry seen around towns.
Human connections:
Fence posts
Ecosystem connections:
Wildlife forage Shortened URL
http://mdc.mo.gov/node/6665
