Fruit
Red Mulberry
A tier
Red mulberry (Morus rubra) is the North American native—dark red to black aggregate fruit with rich, balanced sweet-tart flavour many consider superior to bland white types. Trees suit eastern forests and large yards. Fruit is soft, staining, and short-kept. Sheet-harvest under ripe trees; jam and pie shine. Hybridisation with M. alba complicates pure wild ID. Conserve native genetics where possible. Fresh eating at peak is outstanding.
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Unit
Characteristics
Preparations
JamNative PlantingPeak FreshPie
Traits
Conservation InterestDark FruitNativeNorth American NativeRichRich FlavourStainingWiney
History
US
Indigenous peoples of eastern North America used M. rubra fruit.
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Settlers prized red mulberry for flavour on farms.
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Introduced white mulberry hybridised and displaced pure reds in places.
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Native plant movements emphasised true red mulberry conservation.