Scientific name: White Mulberry (Morus alba), Red or American Mulberry (Morus rubra), Black Mulberry (Morus nigra) 

 Family: Moraceae (the mulberry or fig family)

 Roots: taproot or heart-shaped root pattern 

Growth Rate: Fast

 

 

Years to Begin Fruiting: 3-5 years for seedlings. Grafted trees will start to yield right away.

 

 

 

 

 Lifespan: M. rubra (less than 75 years), M. alba (150+ years), M. nigra (300+ years)

 

 

 

 

 Description: Mulberry is one of the most researched tree crops for use as animal feed around the world, mostly because it’s been the sole feed of silk worms for millennia. It’s a great food source for ruminants as well as pigs, chickens and other fowl. The nutritional value of both berries and leaf fodder are very high. Different varieties have differing fruit timing. Knowing your goals and site location should guide your species and variety selection. Below are the most common species to North America. Note that the common names (white, red, black) don’t consistently correlate to the color of the fruit. Many “white mulberry” trees and their hybrids will have red, purple or black fruit.

 

 

 

 

 Main Silvopasture Uses:

• Fruit. Great for poultry and hogs, likely the single most important tree crop for those species. Generally drops fruit from about June through August, depending on cultivar, some reported to drop later. Main fruit drop period usually happens over the course of a few weeks. Consider planting multiple cultivars to spread fruit drop over a longer period, and specifically select late-dropping varieties that will cover the late season when most others have petered out.

 

 

 

• Leaf forage. Highly digestible and high in proteins. Likely the best tree for leaf fodder. So digestible that even humans can eat it. If fruit is not a priority, consider planting male clonal varieties for only fodder.

 

 

 

Other Uses:

 

 

 

• Wood. Fence posts, craft lumber, fire wood. Not as rot resistant as black locust, but a very durable and beautiful wood nonetheless. Also high in BTUs.
• Shade. Medium size tree that typically wants to grow low and wide. For best shade, prune the tree up so the shade moves more throughout the day. Typically not used in silvopasture specifically as a shade tree.
• Fruit. For human consumption, whether fresh, dried, in jams, etc. Dried mulberry has been a staple crop in Middle Eastern cultures for centuries.
• Wildlife habitat. All kinds of birds and mammals love the fruit. 

 

 

 

Propagation Considerations:

 

 

• Seedling trees are best used for leaf fodder, not for fruit production, since male seedlings will not produce fruit, and many seedling females will fruit only poorly.Cuttings from hardwood, softwood, and even the roots can all work well with the right care. Grafting works for cloning good genetic female varieties, but can be difficult for even experienced grafters. At scale, tissue culture is a useful strategy

 

 

Special Considerations:

 

 

• Should be considered a prime option for poultry yards for a couple of reasons. First, because of the fruit that it drops. Depending on the planting density of the trees, and the number of birds that have access to them, mulberries could substitute a significant portion of the bird’s feed. Second, it can handle the nutrient overload and abuse that generally occurs in poultry yards, better than most species. And it can take that nutrition and turn it into durable pole wood for use as fence posts, etc. Note that mulberries can grow in many different forms, and if pole wood is a goal, choose a selection that grows straight (‘Oscar’ is one such selection), as many prefer to heavily branch, making them unsuited for pole wood.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Species to consider for silvopastures:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

White Mulberry (Morus alba)
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-8 (reportedly some down to 3)
Size: 40-60 ft tall, and grows wide
Moisture: Moderate soils. Extremely drought tolerant once established 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Special Considerations:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Native to Asia and readily hybridizes with others, including Morus rubra. If fruit production is your goal, use clonal female stock. If fodder production is your goal, consider clonal male stock that’s selected for large leaves and no fruit, so you don’t increase your population of volunteer mulberries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Very tough tree that will grow almost anywhere except for wetlands. Can take a lot of abuse. You’ll notice it persists in pastures despite heavy browse. Pollards and coppices very well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Red or American Mulberry (Morus rubra)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

USDA Hardiness Zone: 5-9
Size: 40-70 ft tall and wide
Moisture: Medium

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Special Considerations:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Native to eastern U.S. pure Morus rubra is becoming increasingly rare due to hybridization and a lot of nurseries misidentify what they have to offer. Planting verified Morus rubra in a silvopasture is a valuable conservation practice.
• Morus rubra tolerates more shade than Morus alba and is at home in a woodland setting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Black Mulberry (Morus nigra)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

USDA Hardiness Zone: 7-9 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Size: 40-60 ft tall
Light: Full sun to shade 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moisture: Moist

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Special Considerations: Most cultivated mulberry around the world. Native to central Asia. Reported to have the tastiest fruit.