Red Mulberry Tree

Morus rubra

$89⁵¹

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Understanding Plant Options

Nature Hills offers plants in two main formats:

Container Plants: Grown in pots with soil, sized by container volume and plant age
Bare Root Plants: Dormant plants without soil, sized by height measurements

Container Plant Sizes

Container sizes indicate plant age and growing capacity rather than liquid volume equivalents. Our containers follow industry-standard nursery "trade gallon" specifications, which differ from standard liquid gallon measurements.

Young Plants (6 months to 18 months old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
2" x 2" x 3"	0.18 - 0.21 dry quarts	0.20 - 0.23 dry liters
4" Container	0.31 - 0.87 dry quarts	0.35 - 0.96 dry liters
4.5" Container	0.65 dry quarts	0.72 dry liters
6" Container	1.4 dry quarts	1.59 dry liters
1 Quart	1 dry quart	1.1 dry liters
5.5" Container	1.89 dry quarts	2.08 dry liters

Established Plants (18 months to 2.5 years old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
2 Quart	2 dry quarts	2.2 dry liters
#1 Container	2.26 - 3.73 dry quarts	2.49 - 4.11 dry liters
5" x 5" x 12"	3.5 - 4.3 dry quarts	3.85 - 4.74 dry liters

Mature Plants (2-4 years old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
#2 Container	1.19 - 1.76 dry gallons	5.24 - 7.75 dry liters
#3 Container	2.15 - 2.76 dry gallons	8.14 - 12.16 dry liters

Large Plants (3-5 years old)

Container Size	Actual Volume	Metric Equivalent
#5 Container	2.92 - 4.62 dry gallons	12.86 - 20.35 dry liters
#6 Container	5.25 - 6.01 dry gallons	23.12 - 26.42 dry liters
#7 Container	5.98 - 6.53 dry gallons	26.34 - 28.76 dry liters

Bare Root Plants

Bare root plants are sold by height from the root system to the top of the plant. Plants may exceed minimum height requirements.

Common Sizes:

Trees: 1 foot, 2 feet, 3 feet, 4 feet, 5 feet, 6 feet
Shrubs & Perennials: 1 foot, 18 inches, 2 feet

Important Notes

Container Volume Specifications

Trade Gallon Standard: Our containers follow industry-standard "trade gallon" specifications established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI Z60.1) for nursery stock
Volume Variations: Actual soil volume may vary due to plant root systems and growing medium settlement
Age Indicators: Container size primarily indicates plant age and maturity rather than liquid volume equivalents

Growing Conditions

Plant size can vary based on variety and growing conditions
Container size helps indicate plant maturity and establishment level
Larger containers generally mean more established root systems and faster landscape establishment

Seasonal Availability

Bare root plants are available seasonally when dormant
Container plants are available throughout the growing season
Specific varieties may have limited availability in certain sizes

Questions?

For questions about specific plant sizes or availability, please contact our plant experts who can help you choose the right size for your landscape needs.

Plant Highlights

Red Mulberry Tree highlights at a glance!

Plant Class
- Sapindales
Botanical Name

Morus rubra
Brand

Nature Hills' Choice
Growing Zones

5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Growth Rate

Fast
Mature Height

50 - 70 feet
Mature Width

30 - 40 feet
Leaf Color
- Green
- Yellow
Flower Color
- Green
Fall Color

Yellow
Native

Yes
Pollinator Friendly

Yes
Pollinator Required

No
Bloom Period

Early Spring

Growing Zones 5-9

Find Your Growing Zone!

A berry good choice for home gardeners, the Red Mulberry Tree Morus rubra brings old-fashioned charm, sweet summer flavor, and backyard wildlife magic all in one easy-growing package. This fruit tree produces long, Raspberry-like berries that shift color from green to red to deep purple as they ripen. The fruit is wonderfully sweet, slightly fragrant, and arrives in summer for snacking, baking, preserving, or wine-making. As a deciduous fruiting tree, it offers major seasonal interest with lush dark foliage and a rounded, shade-giving canopy.

This North American native isn’t just tasty. Its textured, 5-inch dark green leaves often appear in several unique shapes on the same tree, giving it a funky, artsy vibe that gardeners of every generation appreciate. The leaves turn a cheerful yellow in fall, lighting up the landscape before dropping for winter. Sturdy branching, dark bark, and a naturally rounded form give it that classic tree silhouette Ma Nature loves to show off.

A member of the Moraceae family, Red Mulberry has long been valued for traditional fruit use, wildlife support, and its historical presence in old homesteads across the eastern and central United States. Its symbolism of abundance and generosity lives on today as it continues feeding people, birds, and pollinators every summer.

>>Jump to Planting & Care Instructions

Key Features

Native fruit tree with sweet, edible red to purple berries
Catkin-like spring flowers that transform into Raspberry-like fruit
Dark green, uniquely shaped leaves with bright yellow fall color
Rounded canopy offers shade and backyard charm
Attracts birds, butterflies, and wildlife
Great for homesteads, food forests, and edible landscapes

Landscaping Uses

Use this tree anywhere you want shade, beauty, and delicious fruit. Reaching a generous mature height with an equally broad canopy, it quickly becomes a favorite feature in edible gardens and wildlife-friendly yards.

Shade tree for open lawns
Edible landscaping feature
Backyard orchard or food forest centerpiece
Wildlife garden anchor
Naturalized or rural-style landscape planting

Care And Maintenance

Hardy in USDA planting zones 4 to 9, Red Mulberry is a deciduous fruit tree with a well-earned reputation for being low-maintenance, drought-tolerant once established, and adaptable to a range of soil conditions. Thanks to its ability to handle urban air, it earns a spot among pollution-tolerant trees for city and suburban growers. Don’t forget to order your Nature Hills Root Booster for lifelong mycorrhizal root support.

Planting Time: Best planted in spring or fall when temperatures are mild
Sun Requirements: Full sun for the best fruit; tolerates light shade
Soil Requirements: Prefers well-drained soil; handles clay, loam, and sandy soils; does not enjoy prolonged standing water
Moisture Needs: Moderate moisture; use the Finger Test; new plants need regular moisture during their first year
Arborist Mulch: Apply a 3 to 4-inch deep layer of bark mulch to conserve moisture
Fertilization Needs: Apply a balanced fertilizer for fruit trees in early spring; compost is a great addition
Pruning Info: Prune in late winter to maintain structure and size; remove dead or crossing branches; blooms and fruits form on new growth
Renewal Pruning: Renewal pruning is not typically needed for this species
Division Info: Not applicable for trees
Special Perks: Heat-tolerant, wildlife-friendly, low-maintenance, pollution-tolerant, adaptable to urban soil
Chill Hours: Not typically required
Pollination Needs: Self-fruitful

A Berry Sweet Addition To Any Garden

If you’re craving a fruit tree that practically takes care of itself while showering your yard with summer sweetness, Red Mulberry hits the mark. From its colorful berries to its lively foliage and deep wildlife value, this heritage tree deserves a spot in every edible landscape. Order your Red Mulberry Tree today and start enjoying homegrown fruit delivered right to your doorstep from naturehills.com!

Red Mulberry

Red Mulberry is a native tree with huge wildlife value. According to the MD Native Plant Society, this tree is becoming rare because the white mulberry (a non-native) has disease that is spreading to the native red. Choose this one if you are planting a mulberry. Planting a mulberry at the far end of your property may attract birds away from your other fruits!

Dear Blinn,

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughtful insights about the Red Mulberry tree. We appreciate your awareness of its ecological importance and the growing threats posed by the non-native white mulberry. It’s wonderful to hear how you’re considering strategic planting to not only protect your fruit but also create a haven for local wildlife.

Planting the Red Mulberry at the far end of your property is a smart recommendation, as it can help attract birds away from cultivated fruit areas while supporting native biodiversity. If you’d like, we can also share tips on integrated pest management to ensure your mulberry and other plants stay healthy. Additionally, you might find the Maryland Native Plant Society’s website a valuable resource for updates on conservation efforts and planting advice.

Thanks again for helping to raise awareness about preserving native species. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you need guidance with your planting plans or care instructions—we’re always here to lend a hand.

Cultivating beauty together,
Nature Hills – Expert Plant Advice

Beautiful

My Mom has this tree. We always would sit out back in the fall just to look at this beautiful tree.The leaves seem to stay on very long during the fall season. I wish that I had the room to plant one on my property.

Dear Depcox,

Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful experience with the Red Mulberry Tree! It’s heartwarming to hear how much you and your Mom enjoy sitting together by this beautiful tree in the fall. The way its leaves cling on for longer to show off those lovely autumn colors is certainly one of the many delightful traits of the Red Mulberry.

We understand how special it can be to cherish a tree you love, even when space is limited. If you ever consider adding a variation of the mulberry or similar fall-colored trees that might fit smaller spaces—such as dwarf mulberries or even compact shade trees like certain maples—feel free to ask us. We’d be happy to help you find a perfect option for your property!

Thank you again for your lovely feedback. Enjoy the beauty of your Mom’s yard!

Bloom on,
The Nature Hills Plant Knowledge Team

Beautiful, shady tree, but fruit stains!

Our home came with a gorgeous Red Mulberry tree in the backyard. For years, I wondered what kind of tree this was, and the internet allowed me to identify it without question. The tree provides excellent shade, BUT it also attracts MANY birds and small mammals. As a nature and animal lover, I dont mind too much, but the only drawback is that the purple/black fruit on the ground create a huge no step zone in my backyard, and stain my patio and get inside the house from the bottom of your shoes. If you do plant one of these trees, do yourself a favor and plant it in a distant area of your yard, AWAY from a patio!

Dear George,

Thank you so much for sharing your experience with your beautiful Red Mulberry tree! We’re delighted to hear that it provides such lovely shade and that you appreciate the local wildlife it attracts. Your thoughtful insight about the fruit stains and how they impact your patio and home is especially helpful.

You’re absolutely right—planting Red Mulberry trees away from heavily trafficked areas like patios can make a significant difference in minimizing stains and cleanups. For existing trees, some customers have found that installing a mulch or gravel underneath the tree’s drip line can help mask the fruit stains and make cleanup a bit easier. Additionally, regular raking during fruiting season can prevent buildup and reduce the number of stains tracked indoors. If managing the fruit is a concern in the future, you might also consider placing ground covers beneath zones with “no-step” areas to help catch and absorb fruit debris.

If you'd like, we can also offer some recommendations for fruit trees or shade trees that require less maintenance in proximity to patios while still supporting wildlife.

Thank you again for taking the time to provide such thoughtful feedback! It truly helps us and our plant-loving community.

Rooting for your garden’s success,
Your Nature Hills Plant Care Team

Excellent but high maintenance

I have an 80+ year old male in my back yard with a 24 inch diameter trunk. Ive owned this property for about 12 years and am really glad this tree is here. It has clearly been very carefully pruned and cared for all of its life, and is an astonishingly beautiful tree which never fails to attract comments from visitors, BUT, I have to get it pruned about every 2 years or so to maintain its shape an character, and I generally take about 8 feet off of it each time. Its really more of a full scale back yard bonsai project than anything else. Left to its own devices it would be much more like a bush than a tree - a tangle of crossing branches. Although it is not now a storm hazard it probably would be if not properly cared for as well. It has a fairly thick canopy of heavier leaves making it very good at cutting down sound (important for a back yard in NYC, as you might imagine), and the squirrels love it. Since it only makes male flowers, it is not messy like the fruit bearing females. I highly recommend this tree to someone who is willing to put some work into something that will produce excellent aesthetic rewards quickly.

Dear Petie R.,

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughtful and detailed experience with your impressive Red Mulberry Tree! We’re truly grateful to hear how much this majestic 80+ year-old tree means to you and the care you’ve invested to maintain its unique character and beauty. Your description truly paints a vivid picture of a backyard treasure and the special relationship it holds with you and your visitors.

You bring up an important point about the maintenance — frequent pruning is indeed key to managing the tree’s shape, safety, and overall look, especially one of this age and size. It sounds like your stewardship keeps the tree flourish ing gracefully amidst an urban environment like NYC. Because of its thick canopy and ability to reduce sound, it really proves how multi-functional your tree is, making those hours and feet trimmed every couple years rewarded both by aesthetic pleasure and noise reduction!

For other Red Mulberry owners managing larger trees, we usually recommend periodic professional pruning to address mature branch structure and reduce hazards, especially for species prone to crossing limbs like yours. Additionally, regular inspection for any signs of pests or disease can be very helpful given the open canopy housing plenty of squirrels. Should you wish, we can recommend some local arborists experienced with efficient mulberry pruning or share guides on specific pruning techniques guiding einenასაign age/febral ork/k regions specifics.

Again, thank you for this rich insight that beautifully highlights the care behind your tree’s elder wisdom—we hope your cherished mulberry continues to thrive and inspire conversations alike for many more years. If we can assist with resources or answer any other plant questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

To greener days ahead,
Nature Hills Customer Care & Plant Support

Beautiful bird attracter

Bought house 3 years ago, set up bird feeders for small but bird attractive back yard. Didn't know anything about trees but noticed how many different species of birds love this tree. Then we saw the berries, loved by birds and other animals, and we tasted how good they are. Tree has attracted pileated woodpecker and even baby raccoons once were swinging in the branches. No problems with bird purple poop as goes on our grass. Tree is planted on the border of a pine forest behind our house. We liked it so much bought one from Nature Hills.

Dear Andyport,

Thank you so much for sharing such a wonderful story about your Red Mulberry Tree and the vibrant life it’s brought to your backyard! We’re thrilled to hear how it has attracted a diverse array of birds—especially the majestic pileated woodpecker—and even some playful baby raccoons. It’s fantastic that the berries have also delighted both the wildlife and your family’s taste buds!

You’ve created such a warm, natural haven right at the edge of your pine forest, and it’s great to hear the plumage-related “consequences” aren’t disrupting your yard. If you ever want to expand your bird-friendly space, adding native shrubs or berry-producing plants might encourage even more feathered visitors.

Should you ever want care tips for your Red Mulberry or ideas for companion plants suited to your location, feel free to reach out. Your feedback truly inspires us as we continue helping customers grow extraordinary gardens.

Wishing you happy planting,
The Nature Hills Plant Experts

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Under $50	$9.99
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Red Mulberry Tree

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