Mulberry tree

How to identify a mulberry tree

White mulberry is a deciduous tree with broad, toothed leaves 4 to 15 cm long. Leaves on young or vigorous shoots are often deeply and irregularly lobed, while older leaves are usually plain and egg-shaped. Tiny green flowers appear in short, drooping spikes as the new leaves open in spring. Juicy, clustered berries 2 to 3 cm long follow. Despite the name, the fruit on most cultivated trees ripens black, though some forms bear white or red fruit.

Growing a mulberry tree in Brisbane

In Brisbane, white mulberry doesn't stay put. The Queensland Herbarium records it as naturalised in the Moreton district, and it is becoming common along local waterways, where it is a priority weed in the Kedron Brook catchment. Left alone, it grows into a 9 to 15 metre tree that drops its leaves in winter. Mulberries can also be hit by fruit fly, which lays eggs inside the fruit and can leave maggots in the berries.

What to watch out for

White mulberry is on Brisbane City Council's pest vegetation list and spreads into creeks and bushland. The fruit is messy: it drops and stains paths and cars, and birds that eat it leave purple droppings on washing. Mulberries can also suffer from fruit fly and bacterial blight, which spots and curls new leaves.

• Mess. Ripe fruit drops and stains paths and cars, and birds that eat it can leave purple droppings on washing.
• Seedlings. It has naturalised along creeks and bushland edges around Brisbane and is a priority weed in the Kedron Brook catchment.

Pruning and care

If you keep a mulberry, prune it to manage its size and cropping. A hard prune in winter, while it's bare, keeps it compact, and a lighter trim after the main harvest encourages new growth, which carries the next crop. Pick berries only when fully ripe, because they won't ripen once picked. Pull up any seedlings while they're small. Removing a large tree near buildings or power lines is a job for a professional with the right gear.

• Tree removal
• Tree pruning
• Stump grinding