How to grow Mulberry
Updated October 2026
Mulberries are tough, fast-growing trees with sweet, blackberry-like fruit that ripens in late spring and summer. They grow almost everywhere in the US, need very little care, and birds love them. Choose the right kind: the native red mulberry, the introduced white mulberry, the black mulberry or a compact type such as 'Dwarf Everbearing', and plant it away from paths and cars, as the fruit stains.
📖 Our full guide: How to Grow Mulberry
Where to plant
Mulberries grow in full sun to light shade in a wide range of well-drained soils, including infertile sand, and tolerate heat and drought once established. Plant them well away from driveways, patios and parking, as fallen fruit stains everything it lands on. Light-fruited varieties such as 'Tehama' or 'King White Pakistan' make less mess.
Mulberries have shallow roots and some are large trees, so leave room for the canopy.
- Florida and the Gulf South: red mulberry is native, and UF/IFAS recommends 'Dwarf Everbearing' as a compact, low-maintenance choice that fruits several times a year.
- California and the Desert Southwest: black mulberry, often considered the best-flavored, is popular in warm, dry climates.
- Most other regions: red and white mulberries and their hybrids grow well; named selections such as 'Illinois Everbearing' are widely grown.
Choosing a variety
| Type | Notes |
|---|---|
| Red mulberry (Morus rubra) | Native to the eastern US; good-quality red to black fruit; 30 to 40 feet. Male trees shed highly allergenic pollen |
| White mulberry (M. alba) | Introduced from China for silkworms; sweet but sometimes bland fruit in white, pink or black; up to 50 to 60 feet. Can be weedy, and it crosses with the native red mulberry |
| Black mulberry (M. nigra) | Often called the best-flavored; smaller and shrubbier, especially in Florida; best in warm, dry climates |
| Hybrids and selections | 'Illinois Everbearing', 'Collier' (red and white hybrid) and 'Dwarf Everbearing' |
Some mulberries have male and female flowers on separate trees, so check that you are buying a fruiting type. Weeping and contorted ornamental mulberries often do not fruit.
How to plant
- Plant in full sun to light shade, at the same depth the tree grew in its pot, in soil improved with a little compost.
- Water regularly for the first season while the tree establishes.
- Prune young trees lightly to build a strong framework of branches.
Watering and feeding
Once established, mulberries rarely need watering and generally do not need fertilizer, although water in long dry spells helps fruit size.
Pruning and care through the year
- Prune in late fall or winter, when the trees bleed less of their milky sap. The sap can cause skin rashes in some people, so wear gloves.
- On mature trees, prune only to remove dead, damaged or crossing limbs, as large wounds are slow to close. Keep 'Dwarf Everbearing' low by light pruning between fruit flushes.
- Pull mulberry seedlings while small; birds spread the seed and trees can become weedy. Wisconsin lists white mulberry as a restricted invasive plant.
Harvesting
Mulberries ripen in late spring and summer, and everbearing types fruit over several weeks or several times a year. Pick when the berries are fully colored and soft, or spread a sheet under the tree and shake the branches. Eat unripe fruit sparingly, if at all; NC State notes unripe red mulberries and the milky sap are mildly poisonous.
The fruit does not keep long, so eat it fresh, freeze it, or make jam, pies or smoothies.
Propagation and saving seed
Mulberries root easily from cuttings, which keeps a named variety true. They also grow from seed, but seedlings vary and may be male.
Pests and diseases
Mulberries have few serious problems. Birds are the main competition for the fruit.
Pests to watch for
- Birds Ripe fruit stripped from the tree; net small trees or plant enough to share.
- Borers Holes and sawdust in trunk and limbs, mainly in the South.
- Whitefly Masses of tiny white insects under the leaves on some trees.
Diseases to watch for
- Leaf spot Spots on leaves; bacterial blight can kill leaves and shoots.
Common questions
Which mulberry is best for a small yard?
A compact type such as 'Dwarf Everbearing', which UF/IFAS recommends for Florida and which grows in zones 4 to 10, or a black mulberry, which stays smaller than red and white mulberries.
Why doesn't my mulberry tree have fruit?
It may be a male tree, a fruitless ornamental variety, or simply young. Some mulberries bear male and female flowers on separate trees.
How do I stop mulberry stains?
Plant the tree away from driveways, patios and parking, or choose a light-fruited variety such as 'Tehama' or 'King White Pakistan'.
Is white mulberry invasive?
It can be weedy, naturalizing along roadsides and field edges, and it crosses with the native red mulberry. Wisconsin restricts it as invasive. Pull seedlings when small.
When should I prune a mulberry?
In late fall or winter, when the tree bleeds less sap. Keep pruning light on mature trees, and wear gloves, as the milky sap can irritate skin.
Sources we checked: UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions: Mulberry; UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County: Dwarf Everbearing Mulberry Tree for your Edible Landscape; NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: Morus rubra; NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: Morus alba.
Loading sow calendar…