White Mulberry Plant Care

White Mulberry (Morus alba) belongs to the Moraceae family within the Morus genus. White Mulberry is native to China. White Mulberry is also known as Common Mulberry, Silkworm Mulberry.

White Mulberry displays a fast-growing small tree growth habit, reaching up to 25 ft tall with a spread of approximately 20 ft. White Mulberry produces inconspicuous green flowers followed by edible red to black berries.

Leaf size: approximately 6 inches.

Water a young or newly planted White Mulberry every 7–14 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established trees mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

White Mulberry thrives in full sun to partial shade.

Morus alba tolerates temperatures of 50–85°F. White Mulberry prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.

Well-draining loamy soil with added compost for nutrients. Good drainage is essential for White Mulberry to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed White Mulberry every 6 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established trees in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun to partial shade and well-draining loamy soil with added compost for nutrients. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

White Mulberry is suited to USDA Zone 4 – 9.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped trees in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

White Mulberry can spread to about 20 ft (6.1 m) and reach about 25 ft (8 m) tall. Space plants about 20 ft (6.1 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the tree spacing calculator.

Prune White Mulberry while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the tree in one year.

White Mulberry is hardy down to USDA zone 4, so once established it can stay outdoors through winter in that zone and warmer ones.

Water deeply in late autumn before the ground freezes, and spread a 5–8 cm (2–3 in) layer of mulch over the root zone, keeping it away from the trunk.

Young and container-grown trees need extra protection: roots in a pot freeze much more easily than roots in the ground.

White Mulberry can be propagated through cuttings, layering, seeds. Similar propagation techniques also apply to texas mulberry plant care, which shares the same genus.

See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.

White Mulberry is susceptible to aphids, scales, caterpillars. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.

White Mulberry grows outdoors in USDA Zone 4 – 9. It survives winters down to planting zone 4a. White Mulberry is native to China.