Morus rubra, L.

Form.—Height 15-25 feet, diameter 10-20 inches; trunk usually straight, short, bearing a rounded crown.

Leaves.—Alternate, simple, 3-6 inches long, nearly orbicular in outline, or with 3-5 lobes, coarsely serrate, dark green and usually slightly rough above, paler and hairy beneath.

Flowers.—May-June; monoecious or dioecious; the staminate in dense spikes 1-2 inches long; the pistillate arranged in the same way but in shorter spikes.

Fruit.—July-August; very small drupes aggregate in a dense cylindric cluster about 1 inch long, blackish when ripe, sweet, juicy and edible.

Bark.—On trunks, brownish-gray, roughened by narrow ridges.

Wood.—Light, soft, tough, coarse-grained, very durable, light orange color.

Range.—Massachusetts to Florida, west to Kansas and Nebraska.

Distribution in West Virginia.—Found in scattered growth throughout the State.

Habitat.—Grows best in rich bottoms, but is found scattered with other hardwoods in various locations.

Notes.—The Mulberry is easily distinguished in summer by its irregular leaf forms and peculiar fruits. It is not important as a lumber tree, though the wood is attractive and durable.