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. More information on Morus rubra .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Fills a similar nicheMorus alba x rubra 'Illinois Everbearing'Morus alba x rubra 'Silk Hope'Morus rubra 'Townsend'
Full plant profile
Growing Conditions
Plant type
Edible; Tree
Life cycle
Woody
USDA zones
5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 10a, 10b
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
12-24 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
High
Canopy layer
2 - Understory
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Oval
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Cordate
Leaf feel
Rough; Velvety
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
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.
Flower color
Green
Flower form
Insignificant
Flower detail
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.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Black; Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Berry
Fruit value
Edible
Fruit size
1-3 inches long
Fruit detail
Produces numerous sweet red to black fruit that looks like a blackberry but slender with a size of 1 1/4''.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
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.
Attracts
Butterflies; Songbirds
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Fruit
Harvest time
Summer
Fruit type
Berry
Edibility
Fruit are edible.
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Coastal; Meadow; Naturalized Area
Landscape theme
Drought Tolerant Garden; Edible Garden
Garden tags
#deciduous #drought tolerant #deer resistant #messy #edible garden #bird friendly #butterfly friendly #larval host plant #non-toxic for cats #non-toxic for horses #non-toxic for dogs #showy fruits #edible fruits #weedy #HS304