Red Mulberry vs. White Mulberry

Red Mulberry

• The red mulberry (Morus rubra) is a shade-loving tree that is native to the U.S. Because of its growing preferences, the red mulberry is most commonly found in forested areas, where the canopy from larger trees provides the dappled sunlight it prefers. Usually small in size, the red mulberry tree can reach up to 60 feet in height. It is not invasive and thrives in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 8.

White Mulberry

• The white mulberry (Morus alba) is more exotic than the red mulberry as it is native to China and not to the United States. In China, the white mulberry was known as the preferred food for silk worms, and was crucial to the silk industry establishing itself in China. The white mulberry, brought over in the 19th century is an invasive species that prefers sun-filled growing conditions, and will reach 40 feet in height. Only female white mulberry trees produce fruit; they thrive in USDA zones 4 through 8.

Berry Appearance

• While both white and red mulberries will change color in a similar progression during the ripening process — green to white to red to purple — red mulberries are more commonly found growing individually. White mulberries tend to grow in clusters, and are slightly smaller than the red mulberries, which are also sweeter tasting. White mulberries, because of their less pronounced taste, are used in cooking, while red mulberries are more commonly eaten fresh, sometimes straight off of the tree.

Foliage

• The leaves of the red mulberry tree have rough textured, fuzzy bottom, while the top of the leaves is dull. Red mulberry also has a scaly-looking grey-colored bark and buds that have black bands around each “scale” of the mulberry bud. Newly grown twigs on the red mulberry are a pale, light brown color.

  White mulberry tree leaves are shiny on top and smooth on the bottom. Bark is thick-edged and both light and dark brown. The buds of the white mulberry tree do not always have bands around the scales, but when they do, they appear closer to the tip of the bud, and are dark brown in color. New growth on the white mulberry tree is a pink-brown color, rather than a light brown.