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Native Plant Society of Texas

Red Mulberry

Morus rubra

Other common name(s):

Moral

Family:

Moraceae (Mulberry Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

This map uses data from the US EPA. EPA  servers have been offline frequently so maps may not display. We are working on a solution.

Central Great Plains, Chihuahuan Deserts, Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, Southern Texas Plains, Texas Blackland Prairies, Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Broken Red Plains
Stockton Plateau
Eastern Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie, Limestone Cut Plain
Bastrop Lost Pines, Floodplains and Low Terraces2, San Antonio Prairie, Southern Post Oak Savanna
Balcones Canyonlands, Edwards Plateau Woodland, Llano Uplift
Floodplains and Low Terraces4, Lower Rio Grande Alluvial Floodplain, Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies, Southern Subhumid Gulf Coastal Prairies, Texas-Louisiana Coastal Marshes
Semiarid Edwards Bajada
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie, Southern Blackland Prairie
Flatwoods, Floodplains and Low Terraces3, Southern Tertiary Uplands, Tertiary Uplands

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Tree

Height

12
to
36
ft.

Spread

35
to
40
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Clay, Dry, Loam, Moist, Sand

Light Requirement

Sun, Part Shade, Shade

Water Requirement

Medium

Native Habitat

Riparian, Shrubland, Woodland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Brown, Green, Red, White

Bloom Season

Spring, Summer

Seasonal Interest

Fruit, Larval Host, Nectar, Pollen

Wildlife Benefit

Birds, Butterflies, Small Mammals

Maintenance

Drought tolerant. Moderate to slow growing. Will be at its best in full sun. Leaves turn an attractive yellow in the fall. Prune in late fall or winter to avoid bleeding. Self-seeds easily and may spread if not controlled, by pulling seedlings in areas where space is limited. Female trees should be planted away from concrete patios or driveways to avoid staining from fruit. WARNING: unripe fruit and sap are toxic if eaten. Native habitat; shaded woods, stream and river banks, ditches, ravines, depressions, moist forests and thickets, floodplains, and along edges of fields and along fences.

Description

Blooms March-August. A medium sized tree, with a short trunk and broad, rounded crown. The bark is gray-brown with orange tint, and scaly ridges that peel and curl. Leaves are highly variable: mostly oval with, or without lobes, heart shaped base, slightly hairy, and serrated margins. Male and female flowers occur on different trees. Tiny flowers are arranged on catkins. The fruit is black, red, or purple, resembling a raspberry. Larval host: Mourning Cloak Butterfly. Replaces non-natives: White Mulberry (Morus alba).
Previous Scientific Name(s): Morus murrayana, Morus rubra var. murrayana

References

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Seed Stratification Crush fruit in hand, and allow the pulp to decompose within sand or a soil medium over the summer and fall outdoors within a container with drainage. Continue winter stratification in that container before sowing the seeds with the sand or soil medium in the spring compressed onto the surface. With proper pot size (.5 gallon or 1 gallon) and fertilizer they should reach at least 4 feet as first year saplings. Can be stratified in a refrigerator at 40 degrees F, for 2-3 months. Germination will occur in 1-3 weeks. The germination environment temperature is 86 degrees F during the dayand 68 degrees F at night. Beds need mulch and half shade. Collect fruit early summer. 1) https://lovenativeplants.com/blog/redmulberry#:~:text=Propagation%20Tips:%20Collect%20fruit%20around,feet%20as%20first%20year%20saplings. 2) https://woodlanders.net/products/morus-rubra#:~:text=Propagation:%20Morus%20rubra%20can%20be,late%20spring%20or%20early%20summer. 3) https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/database/lppi/sp258.shtml
Hardwood Cutting Dip cuttings in rooting hormone: IBA Quick Dip 12000 PPM. Soil temperature for est rooting: 70-80 degrees F Take cuttings in the summer. https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/database/lppi/sp258.shtml

About the Region

2026 Fall Symposium Logo

This low-elevations region of Texas extends inland from the barrier islands, about 60 or so miles, and stretches from Brownsville to Louisiana. In total, it covers about 9.5 million acres, with a high point of 150 feet in elevation. More than 1000 species of plants can be found in this region. On the southern end, species more common in Mexico (such as Sabal mexicana) and Central America occur.

The barrier islands provide us with dune systems, and clay flats to the inland side, which have species found in these areas alone. Many plants here, such as Ipomoea pes-caprae (beach morning glory), can be found throughout tropical regions of the globe. I’ve encountered the same species on the beaches of Guam.

Once inland, vast marshes and wet prairies occur. Occasionally, oak (Quercus fusiformis) groves can be found. Common grasses include species of Bothriochloa, Paspalum, and Sporobolus; eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides); and switchgrass (Panicum species). Many rivers and creeks cut through the Gulf Prairies, and along these riparian areas various species of trees, Sabal minor, and other plants adapted to clay soils can be found. Due to overgrazing, farming, and fire suppression, woody species such as mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and huisache (Acacia farnesiana), and invasive species such as chinaberry (Melia azedarach), Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), and Chinese tallow (Sapium sebiferum) have increased and displaced our native flora.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason