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Tree and Shrub Gallery

Dessert Fruit - Mulberry Family (fig)

  

Moraceae - Mulberry family
Common Fig Ficus carica
Bush shown about 10 feet tall. Fruit is about 1" long.
Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, July 2004
(Purchased, native of Eurasia)

     

Moraceae - Mulberry family
Paper Mulberry Broussonetia papyrifera
Grows to about 50 feet tall with a large trunk. Leaves are variable even on same branch, entire or unevenly lobed, 8" long, rough top, fuzzy bottom, serrated edge. Male and females flowers small (no photo). Fruit is edible, red-orange (no photo). High pollen count. The bark is used to produce quality paper, wood is not usable. Fast growing, consumes high quantities of water and shallow roots allow it to be blown down. When cut, latex sap ruins clothing and roots produce saplings.
Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, August-September 2007
(Introduced, native of Asia, invasive - Brown)

Other Species in My Area

White Mulberry (and Fruitless Mulberry) Morus alba
Short-lived medium sized tree, to 20 feet tall. Large leaf 6"-12" long. Leaf shape is variable, entire to deeply lobed (sometimes not evenly), points. Leaf top surface is smooth, serrated edge. Produces huge amounts of pollen. Tiny male & female flowers are on the tree. Fruit are a cluster of drupes, like a long blackberry, wild fruit is dark purple but cultivated ones are white-pink. Edible with sweet flavor.
This tree does not die if it is cut down. It sends up shoots. Girdle a 2"-3" strip near the ground, trim back shoots, and let roots starve. This can take several years.
This tree has been cultivated for over 4000 in China to feed silkworms and livestock. This tree was also cultivated to produce the Fruitless Mulberry, which is cloned for sale. Hybridizes with Morus ruba.
(Introduced, native of China - near but not listed in my area)

Texas Mulberry (Littleleaf Mulberry) Morus microphylla
Shrubby tree, to 12 feet tall often very wide, with small trunk, to 8" wide, bark smooth and gray. Leave only to 2 1/2" long. Leaf shape can be entire or shallow lobed (evenly), serrated edge. Leaf is rough, top & bottom. Tiny flowers. Male & female flowers are on separate trees. Fruit are a cluster of drupes, like a long blackberry, dark red-black. Edible with sweet flavor. Drought tolerant.
(Native of Texas - Taylor, Coleman, Brown, Runnels, Coke, Nolan)

Moraceae - Mulberry family
Red Mulberry Morus rubra
Large tree, over 25 feet tall, with wide trunk, brown bark with long ridges. Large leaf. Leaf shape is variable, young trees usually are deeply lobed (sometimes not evenly), long points, old trees entire and round, fine serrated edge. Leaf top is rough, bottom hairy, petiole has milky sap. Tiny flowers, red-green, open when leave bud. Male & female flowers are usually on separate trees but not always. Fruit are a cluster of drupes, like a long blackberry, dark red-purple. Edible with sweet flavor. Produces huge amounts of pollen.
(Native of Texas - Brown)