White Mulberry (Morus alba)

How much light does a White Mulberry need?

White mulberry does best with full sun for most of the day. Aim for a spot that gets direct light for several hours, since that is the preferred condition for this tree. It also tolerates part shade, so a site with some shade during the day still supports healthy growth. Full sun remains the better choice when you have one, because it is the condition the tree is listed as preferring over part shade. If your yard only offers partial shade, the tree can still grow there, just know that full sun is the stronger option.

• Light: Full sun and part shade (full sun preferred)^1,2

How often to water a White Mulberry

This tree's water needs sit between dry-to-medium and medium-wet, so it tolerates a fairly wide range of soil moisture. Check the soil near the root zone before you water again, and let the top few inches dry out some between waterings. Established trees handle short dry spells without much trouble, since their tolerance runs from dry to medium moisture. They also handle soil on the wetter side, up to medium-wet, without extra care. Avoid soil that stays soaked for long stretches, since that sits outside the tolerance range this tree is documented to handle.

• Water: Dry to wet¹

Best soil for a White Mulberry

Good drainage matters most for this tree, but it also tolerates soil that runs occasionally dry or occasionally wet. That range covers most garden soil, as long as water does not sit on the surface for long periods. Soil pH can run from 5 to 8, which spans strongly acidic to fairly alkaline ground. That wide range means most native soils will suit this tree without added amendments.

• Soil drainage: Well drained, occasionally dry and occasionally wet^2,1
• Soil pH: pH 5–8²

Hardiness and temperature

White mulberry is documented as hardy in USDA zones 4a through 8b. That range spans cold winters near zone 4a to mild winters near zone 8b. Gardeners at the cold end of that range should expect hard freezes most winters. Near the warm end, in zone 8b, winters stay mild and bring little cold stress. No cited source lists an exact minimum winter temperature for this species. Use the zone range as your guide, and check your local zone before you plant. If your site sits colder than zone 4a, a sheltered spot can help the tree survive winter.

• Hardiness: Zones 4a–8b¹

How to plant a White Mulberry

Choose a planting site that falls within this tree's hardy range of USDA zones 4a through 8b. If you garden in zone 4a, pick a sheltered spot that stays out of harsh winter wind. If you garden in zone 8b, the tree should handle the milder local winters without extra protection. Gardeners in zones between those two, such as zone 6, sit comfortably within the tree's documented range. Check your zone before you plant, since a site colder than zone 4a falls outside the range this tree is documented to tolerate.

• Hardiness: Zones 4a–8b¹

Winter care

This tree's hardiness rating covers USDA zones 4a through 8b. In that range, it should handle typical local winter lows without extra help. No cited source gives an exact minimum temperature this tree can survive. Use your USDA zone instead to judge whether winter here suits this tree. Near zone 4a, the cold edge of that range, mulch the base of the trunk. Avoid a spot fully exposed to winter wind at that cold edge. Near zone 8b, the warm edge, winters stay mild enough that little extra care is needed.

• Hardiness: Zones 4a–8b¹

How to propagate a White Mulberry

You can start new white mulberry trees from seed or by layering an existing branch. Seed-grown trees take longer to reach a usable size, but they work well if you want several trees at once. Layering means bending a low branch to the ground and letting it root while still attached to the parent tree. Once that layered section has rooted on its own, you can cut it free and move it to its new spot.

• Propagation: Seed and layering¹

Common problems

Watch for borers, whiteflies, scales, mealybugs, and foliage-feeding caterpillars on this tree. Nematodes in the soil can also affect its roots. On the disease side, bacterial blight, coral spot canker, armillaria root rot, wetwood, and wood decay are all documented problems for white mulberry.

• Common pests: borers, whiteflies, scales, mealybugs, foliage feeding caterpillars and nematodes¹
• Common diseases: bacterial blight, coral spot canker, armillaria root rot, wetwood and wood decay¹

Questions and answers

Is white mulberry toxic to cats or dogs?

The ASPCA lists white mulberry as non-toxic to both cats and dogs. That rating comes from the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center's own records for this plant.

What USDA zones can white mulberry survive in?

White mulberry is documented as hardy in USDA zones 4a through 8b. That range spans cold-winter areas near zone 4a to much milder areas near zone 8b.

How should I propagate white mulberry?

You can grow new white mulberry trees from seed or by layering a low branch. Layering involves rooting a branch while it is still attached to the parent tree, then cutting it free once roots form.