Plant DetailShow Menu

Morus rubra 'Silk Hope'

Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
MOR-rus ROO-brah
Description

'Silk Hope' red mulberry is a cultivar of a North Carolina native tree species and has both edible and ornamental features. It is a hybrid between red mulberry and white mulberry. It bears 1½ inch long, sweet, black fruit that ripens for two months in early summer. Fruits are quite large and similar in flavor to 'Illinois Everbearing' mulberry.

It is more cold hardy than black mulberry and, because it is a native cultivar, it does better than most mulberry trees in the heat and humidity of the South.

It can live up to 125 years but the weedy invasive character is not appealing.

These trees are more resilient to fungal diseases in the Southeast than Illinois Everbearing.

More information on Morus rubra.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#deciduous#drought tolerant#messy#deer resistant#edible fruits#edible garden#bird friendly#butterfly friendly#non-toxic for horses#non-toxic for dogs#non-toxic for cats#weed#cold tolerant
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#deciduous#drought tolerant#messy#deer resistant#edible fruits#edible garden#bird friendly#butterfly friendly#non-toxic for horses#non-toxic for dogs#non-toxic for cats#weed#cold tolerant
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Morus
    Species:
    rubra
    Family:
    Moraceae
    Life Cycle:
    Woody
    Wildlife Value:
    This plant is moderately resistant to damage from deer. It is a possible host plant for the Red Admiral butterfly. Its fruits are eaten by many birds, especially gray catbirds and northern mockingbirds, foxes, opossums, raccoons, and squirrels.
    Edibility:
    Berries for making jelly, wine, and dessert.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Edible
    Tree
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Erect
    Oval
    Growth Rate:
    Rapid
    Texture:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Available Space To Plant:
    6-feet-12 feet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Black
    Purple/Lavender
    Fruit Value To Gardener:
    Edible
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Summer
    Fruit Type:
    Berry
    Fruit Length:
    1-3 inches
    Fruit Description:
    produces numerous black fruit that looks like blackberry but slender with a size of 1 1/4''. It is sweet in flavor, similar to Illinois Everbearing but larger.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Green
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Insignificant
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Flower Description:
    The small yellowish-green flower of the Silk Hope red mulberry is not showy. Male flower and female flower can bloom on the same tree or different trees.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Feel:
    Rough
    Velvety
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Leaf Shape:
    Ovate
    Leaf Margin:
    Serrate
    Hairs Present:
    Yes
    Leaf Description:
    Alternate broad simple green leaves with a notch at the base and a fine serrated margin. The upper surface is rough and under surface is full of soft hair.
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Lawn
    Landscape Theme:
    Edible Garden
    Design Feature:
    Flowering Tree
    Shade Tree
    Attracts:
    Butterflies
    Songbirds
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Deer