Morus alba L.
var. alba

Selected images: Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record View all images (4)

Photo: Bart Wursten
Mukuvisi Woodland

Photo: Bart Wursten
24, Athlone Avenue Greendale

Records: Display species records Map species using Google Maps

Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms:
Common names:	Common mulberry (English) White mulberry (English)
Description:	Small deciduous tree with a rounded crown and often drooping branches. Leaves light green, somewhat glossy with distinct venation; margin coarsely dentate, sometimes lobed. Flowers in small cylindical spikes. Fruit a cylindric cluster of small berry-like syncarps, from almost white to deep red, turning purple-black when ripe.
Notes:	Widely cultivated for its edible fruit. It is known as a common naturalised escape particularly around Harare. It is not an agressive invader (yet) but is a declared invader in South Africa.
Derivation of specific name:	alba: white
Flowering time:	Sep - Oct
Worldwide distribution:	Native of China, naturalised elsewhere
Growth form(s):	Tree, shrub over 2 m.
Insects associated with this species:	spilosoma lineata (Larval foodplant)
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Image last updated:	Sunday 2 April 2006
Literature:	Burrows, J.E. & Burrows, S.M. (2003). Figs of Southern and South-Central Africa Umdaus Press, South Africa Pages 336 - 340. As Morus alba (Includes a picture). Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 233. As Morus alba Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 63.

Other sources of information about Morus alba var. alba:

Our websites:

Flora of Zambia: Morus alba var. alba
Flora of Zimbabwe: Morus alba var. alba

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Morus alba
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Morus alba
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Morus alba
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Morus alba
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Morus alba
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Morus alba
JSTOR Plant Science: Morus alba
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Morus alba
Plants of the World Online: Morus alba
Tropicos: Morus alba
Wikipedia: Morus alba