Travis Red Mulberry Morus rubra 'Travis'
- Phonetic Spelling
- MOR-rus ROO-brah
- Description
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Travis red mulberry is a native tree species and has both edible and ornamental features. It can live up to 125 years but the weedy invasive character is not appealing. It is more cold hardy than black mulberry.
Fruits can stain driveways and vehicles and are dropped by the many birds that love to eat them. Best planted in a more naturalized area.
'Travis' is considered a superior fruiting variety of this species, but it can be difficult to find commercially.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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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:
- Fruit are edible.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Oval
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12-24 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 10a, 10b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- Produces numerous sweet red to black fruit that looks like a blackberry but slender with a size of 1 1/4''.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Description:
- The small yellowish-green flower of the Travis red mulberry is not showy. Male flower and female flower can bloom on the same tree or different trees.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Rough
- Velvety
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Cordate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- Alternate broad simple green leaves with a notch at the base, finely serrated margin. The upper surface is rough and under surface is full of soft hair.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Coastal
- Meadow
- Naturalized Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Edible Garden
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Salt
