Fruitless Mulberry Tree Facts: Here's All You Need To Know!

Did you know that the common, or the Chinese mulberry, trees were brought from China and introduced to North America?

The mulberry trees were initially introduced as the silkworm industry's consumable, this is what made them so special. The red mulberry tree, on the other hand, is native to North America.

Among the several types of mulberry trees, the fruitless mulberry tree is one. Other types include red mulberry and black mulberry. The black mulberry is the tiniest of the species, while the red mulberry can grow to be quite big.

A way to recognize the fruitless mulberry from the black mulberry would be by checking the leaf. The black ones have a heart-shaped leaf base. Keep reading to learn more about the fruitless mulberry tree!

Classification Of Fruitless Mulberry Trees

There are no further classifications of the fruitless mulberry. This tree in itself is a classification of the mulberry tree. The mulberry tree has a couple of sub-species.

The mulberry tree has several synonyms. Some of these are Morus atropurpurea Roxb, Morus intermedia Perr., Morus multicaulis (Perr.) Perr., Morus chinensis Lodd.

ex Loudon, Morus latifolia Poir., and Morus tatarica L. Regarding the subspecies of the mulberry tree, there exists two of them. They are the Morus alba var. multicaulis and the Morus alba var.

The former mulberry is traditionally known as the white mulberry. The generic name of the latter is not yet known. Sometimes the white mulberry is used synonymously with the mulberry tree. It is also known as the Russian mulberry.

Other common names of the mulberry tree are the Chinese white mulberry, silkworm mulberry tree, moral blanco, and the common mulberry tree. There is also a red mulberry (Morus rubra). None of these can bear any fruit.

The Features Of Fruitless Mulberry Trees

The most unique feature of the mulberry tree is that it bears no fruit, you can identify them by this feature. That means these trees do not have any mulberry fruit. The mulberry (Morus alba) is a tree that is medium in size.

The height of the tree may vary from one mulberry tree to another. This range varies between 35-50 ft (10.6-15 m). Interestingly, the width of this tree is more than its height. It can be mildly poisonous and can have a reaction if touched.

It takes the tree time to grow. The process of trimming the tree is pretty similar to other trees. Grasses can also grow under these trees.

Among other features of this mulberry species, there is an irregular-shaped, wide crown. This crown gets support from the branches of these trees. The branches of these trees are attached to a trunk that is short in height.

Leaves of these trees can be of two types: lobed or rounded. Both these types can co-exist on the same tree. Even though the mature trees or older trees do not bear any fruit, they do produce flowers.

Compared to the female flowers, the male ones are unremarkable. They are green in color and they produce pollen during late spring. The presence of fungi can cause the leaves to turn brown on the edges.

Distribution And Habitat Requirement Of Fruitless Mulberry Trees

The mulberry trees thrive well in shade. Such a habitat with shade can be provided to these trees inside your home.

Even if you keep the mulberry trees outside or in a garden, make sure you are placing them in a spot with enough shade. These trees can thrive in partial shade, as well as under full sun on some occasions.

Young trees need to be planted at a distance of at least 6 ft (2 m) from roads, pathways, or sidewalks.

This is because these trees have strong roots. These roots will crack the pavement or sidewalk or any other form of foundation that they are planted next to.

When it comes to the habitat requirements of these trees, they can thrive well in most types of soil. Even though these trees are not picky about the soil, a loamy, garden soil that is well-drained is best suited for mulberries to thrive in.

These are deciduous trees that survive well in temperate regions. However, a tropical climate can keep these trees evergreen as well.

During the first year after you plant the mulberries, it is advisable to stake the young branches. It is because this tree is top-heavy in nature and shape.

As a result, the branches are prone to break off owing to strong winds. It takes about a decade for this species to grow when it is grown from seeds.

How To Care For Fruitless Mulberry Trees

This tree is one of the easiest to care for. They require very little care. But this does not mean that you simply plant the tree in your garden and leave them to grow on their own.

This tree is drought-resistant. It even withstands extensive flooding. However, it is advisable to regularly water your mulberry trees during a drought or a dry weather spell.

For the first year, you do not need to worry about adding fertilizer to this tree that bears no fruit. They only require fertilizer once they reach the second year.

In an ideal environment, they need 2 in (5 cm) of compost. This compost should be introduced to the plant during spring. You should spread this compost about 3 ft (1 m) beyond the canopy of the tree, as well as under the canopy.

You can also favor a granular fertilizer over compost. If you do so, you should go for the one that has a 3:1:1 ratio.

Even though adult mulberry trees do not require much pruning, when it comes to younger mulberry trees pruning is essential. Pruning is a process where you do away with branches that have fallen or drooped down towards the ground.