When does Red Mulberry bloom?

Red mulberry produces small, clustered greenish flowers in May and June, just before the tree's leaves fully expand.

What pollinates Red Mulberry?

Bees and beetles are the primary pollinators visiting red mulberry's small flower clusters in spring.

How much light does Red Mulberry need?

Red mulberry grows best with part sun but can tolerate conditions from full sun to partial shade, particularly as a young tree in a forest understory.

How much water does Red Mulberry need?

This tree does best with medium soil moisture but can handle wetter bottomland sites and drier upland soils once it is established.

What does a mature Red Mulberry look like?

Red mulberry is a medium sized deciduous tree with a rounded crown, rough bark, and heart shaped leaves that turn yellow in autumn.

Is Red Mulberry toxic to livestock?

The USDA PLANTS Database does not flag Red Mulberry as toxic to livestock.

Is Red Mulberry HOA-friendly?

Red Mulberry takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Red Mulberry

Name: Pollinator Patch
Author: Pollinator Patch

Morus rubra

Last reviewed: September 2026

Morus rubra is a deciduous tree that blooms in May and June, with small greenish flowers pollinated mainly by bees and beetles. It grows well in moist woodlands and floodplain edges with part sun and medium water.

Red Mulberry (Morus rubra) is not on the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center toxic plant list for dogs or cats (aspca.org (opens in new tab), last reviewed 2026-05-21). If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.

The USDA PLANTS Database (opens in new tab) does not flag Red Mulberry as toxic to livestock.

Light

part sun

Water

medium

Size

360"–720" H × 240"–480" W

Bloom

May, Jun

Native to

AL, AR, CT, FL and 28 more states

Pollinators

bees, beetles

Before you buy

Your city may pay you to plant this

Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 452 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.

Find rebates in your area

Red mulberry is a native deciduous tree that produces dark purple berries in summer. It grows quite large at maturity, reaching 30-60 feet tall with a broad, rounded crown. The tree blooms with small greenish flowers in late spring before producing its edible fruit.

Growing Red Mulberry

Grow Red Mulberry in part sun and medium water. Mature plants reach 360 to 720 inches tall and spread 240 to 480 inches wide. Expect moderate maintenance to keep it looking intentional in a front yard.

In an HOA neighborhood

Red Mulberry takes more care to keep looking intentional in a front yard. Maintenance level: moderate. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Works well in: backyard only.

Very large mature size inappropriate for most residential lots
Messy fruit drop stains walkways and attracts wildlife
Can spread aggressively through bird-dispersed seeds

Wildlife value

Host plant for mourning cloak butterfly.

The flowers attract bees and beetles in late spring. Birds love the sweet berries, and the leaves serve as food for various butterfly caterpillars.

Common questions

When does Red Mulberry bloom?: Red mulberry produces small, clustered greenish flowers in May and June, just before the tree's leaves fully expand.
What pollinates Red Mulberry?: Bees and beetles are the primary pollinators visiting red mulberry's small flower clusters in spring.
How much light does Red Mulberry need?: Red mulberry grows best with part sun but can tolerate conditions from full sun to partial shade, particularly as a young tree in a forest understory.
How much water does Red Mulberry need?: This tree does best with medium soil moisture but can handle wetter bottomland sites and drier upland soils once it is established.
What does a mature Red Mulberry look like?: Red mulberry is a medium sized deciduous tree with a rounded crown, rough bark, and heart shaped leaves that turn yellow in autumn.
Is Red Mulberry toxic to dogs?: Red Mulberry is not on the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center toxic plant list for dogs (aspca.org).
Is Red Mulberry toxic to cats?: Red Mulberry is not on the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center toxic plant list for cats (aspca.org).
Is Red Mulberry toxic to livestock?: The USDA PLANTS Database does not flag Red Mulberry as toxic to livestock.
Is Red Mulberry HOA-friendly?: Red Mulberry takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

These answers were drafted with an AI model from this plant's data. Verify care details with a local expert.

Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

If something looks wrong

Common plant problems, and what to check first

These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.

See all plant problem guides

Ready to grow Red Mulberry? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.

Add this plant to your garden

iPhone app Android app

Planning a bed around it? Start a free plan with this plant

Not sure where to start? Take the 2-minute yard quiz