The uncommon red mulberry is a native woodland tree often reaching 40 to 60 feet tall. The dark green leaves turn a golden yellow and often remain late into autumn. The deep purple fruits of the female tree are sweet and relished by wildlife but can be quite messy. This species is native to the Chicago region according to Swink and Wilhelm's Plants of the Chicago Region, with updates made according to current research.
Red Mulberry Care
Morus Rubra
What is the plant
lighting
Full Sun
hardiness zone
4a - 10b
difficulty
Easy
How to Care for the Plant
Water
The trees are fairly drought tolerant but will benefit from some irrigation during the dry season.
Pruning
Prune young trees into a tidy form by developing a set of main branches. Prune lateral branches to 6 leaves in July to facilitate the growth of spurs near the main limbs. Do not prune heavily since mulberries are prone to bleeding at the cuts. Avoid cuts of more than 2 inches (5 cm.), which will not heal. If you prune when the tree is in its dormancy, bleeding is less severe. Thereafter, only judicious pruning of mulberry trees is necessary, really only to remove dead or overcrowded branches.
Fertilizer
Mulberries do well without additional fertilization, but a 10-10-10 application, once per year will keep them healthy
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Sunlight
They prefer full sun and rich soil, but will tolerate part shade and a variety of soils.
Soil
ideally in warm, well-draining soil such as deep loam.
Additional
Skin contact with the leaves or stems can cause dermatitis in some very sensitive people[226]. The milky sap in the leaves and unripe fruits can cause dermatitis, hallucinations and central nervous system disturbances
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