Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard
In the article, I left out Morus rubra (Red Mulberry) which is native to eastern Canada and the U.S., roughly from Ontario down through eastern Texas and over to the Atlantic Ocean. The fruit is red. Historically in the U.S. it was an important food source for both birds and people. Here in southern California it is less popular than Morus alba -- mainly because it grows to an enormous size in our more temperate climate. |
It is my understanding that many of the wild mulberry trees are hybrids M. rubra to either M. alba or M. nigra. Hybrids these days of various cultivars are occuring. Apparently besides the mulberries, the flowering pears are crossing with commercial pears and are found feral in places east of the Mississippi.
I would like to get a lot of different mulberrys going. For me it is the first fruit of season to rippen. Some berries are almost as early. It is claimed that some mulberries have harmful affects on children, but then I do not have any so it is not an issue for me.