Littleleaf Mulberry
Morus microphylla
Family: Moraceae
Large deciduous shrub (rarely a tree) to 20’ tall x 15’ wide. Some records are taller. Inconspicuous flowers appear in spring followed by reddish to purple berries. Plants are dioecious (separate sexes on separate plants) so you need a male and female for the fruits unless you live near wild populations (flowers are wind pollinated).
Grow in full sun to shade, with moderate to regular water, hardy to -10º F.
Photo by Gene Sturla, SEINET
Morus microphylla on iNaturalist
Morus celtidifolia on iNaturalist
Fruits are eaten by birds and other animals. The plant provides excellent cover and nesting sites for birds when grown. The foliage is a moth larval host.
The fruits are edible for people and eaten raw, pressed into cakes or made into preserves, cooked, and in a multitude of other ways. The entire plant is used medicinally, especially the bark.
There are 20 species of Morus native to the temperate and subtropical world. Morus is the classical name for mulberry, microphylla refers to being small-leaved. Recent studies suggest that the name Morus celtidifolia holds priority and this plant may soon be referred to by that name.
Found on hillsides, slopes, in canyons from 3,500-5,000 ft. in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, south into northern Mexico.