Leaf Size on a Male Mulberry

Male and Female

• Mulberries (Morus spp.) are deciduous trees that produce edible fruit. Depending on the species, a mulberry tree may be monoecious or dioecious. Monoecious trees have both male and female flowers. Dioecious trees are either male or female, but not both. Leaf size is not dependent on the tree's gender.

Mulberry Species

• Only three species of mulberry are commonly cultivated, according to the North Carolina Cooperative Extension: The white mulberry (Morus alba), the red mulberry (Morus rubra) and the black mulberry (Morus nigra). The white mulberry is native to China, where it is best known as the food source of the silkworm. The red mulberry is also often called the American mulberry because it is the only mulberry native to North America, according to the California Rare Fruit Grower's Association. The black mulberry is native to Asia and has traditionally been grown for its fruit, which has the best flavor of all the mulberry species.

Mulberry Tree Leaves

• One of the interesting things about mulberry trees is that the shape of the leaves can vary on individual plant -- one tree may have heart-shaped to mitten-shaped to heavily lobed leaves. The foliage turns yellow in the fall rather than purple or red because the leaves contain less sugar than many other deciduous trees.

Morus Alba Leaves

• Mulberry trees are not named for the color of their leaves or fruit. In fact, white mulberry tree leaves are actually light green and average about 4 1/2 inches in length. Older, mature trees may have leaves up to 6 inches long. White mulberry tree leaves have serrated edges and smooth, glossy tops with fuzzy undersides. They begin to uncurl in early spring, well before leaves on black mulberry trees. White mulberry trees are considered invasive in some areas and are winter-hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 8.

Morus Rubra Leaves

• Red mulberry tree leaves are similar in size, shape, texture and color to white mulberry leaves. In fact, many hybrids of the two trees exist -- some have even naturalized -- so it can be difficult to tell the difference between the two. In general, however, red mulberry tree leaves are a bit larger and thicker, with blunt-toothed margins rather than the fine serrations found on white mulberry leaves. They also have a rough texture on top rather than a gloss. Red mulberry trees are hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8.

Morus Nigra Leaves

• Black mulberry tree leaves are similar to red mulberry tree leaves. The primary differences are that the leaves are smaller -- more along the size of white mulberry tree leaves -- and have sturdier twigs, according to the California Rare Fruit Grower's Association. Black mulberry trees leaf out in late spring about two months after white mulberry tree leaves. They are less cold-hardy than red and white mulberry trees and are hardy in USDA zones 7 and warmer, according to the California Rare Fruit Grower's Association.