How to Grow Morus Rubra

Use red mulberry in your landscape if you live between U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 8. Do not confuse red mulberry with its close cousin, the nonnative white mulberry (M. alba), which is not as adaptable to hot climates such as those of zone 9.

Locate your red mulberry tree in moist soil. The tree tolerates dry conditions, but does best in damp soil that displays good drainage qualities. Red mulberry withstands being in constantly wet ground for short periods, making it an option for areas of the property that experience some flooding during spring thaws.

Choose rich, fertile soil for your red mulberry’s placement. If you lack such soil, take advantage of red mulberry’s ability to grow in a variety of soils, including poor ones. Red mulberry adapts to rocky ground and develops in heavy clays, notes the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The pH level of the soil is not a factor in red mulberry’s growth. The tree matures whether the soil is acidic, neutral or alkaline.

Situate your red mulberry tree in full sun. The tree grows in partly shady sites, but does best with plenty of sunlight. Red mulberry tolerates urban conditions, withstanding exposure to pollution. In colder climates, salt from winter road treatment does not adversely affect this tree, nor does salt spray from the water for those planted near the ocean.

Prune your red mulberry if necessary, but wait until the end of fall or winter to cut branches. Red mulberry suffers if you prune it during the growing season, as it will ooze sap.