# Mulberry (Morus alba)

Canonical: https://plantguide.ae/plants/mulberry · Updated: 2026-10-05
Source: Ghaf Gardens (https://plantguide.ae/plants/mulberry)

Mulberry · توت · also called White mulberry, Black mulberry  
fruit-tree · adapted · family Moraceae · grows 4–12 m tall, 4–10 m wide · fast growth  
full sun · moderate water need  
Ratings for Dubai (1–5, 5 is best): heat 5 · salt 2 · drought 4 · shade 2 · ease of care 4  
Sow or plant: Oct–Feb  
Uses: shade-tree, edible, specimen

A heat-hardy deciduous tree with sweet berries in spring. Fast and tough, but it stains paving, drops fruit, grows large and male trees shed allergenic pollen.

## About

Meet the mulberry, an old orchard tree that has been feeding people in dry climates for centuries. It is not elegant in the way an olive is; it is broad, fast and generous, with soft heart-shaped leaves that cast a wide, cool shade in summer and then drop to let the winter sun through.

Its character is vigorous and a little messy. It grows quickly, tolerates heat, sand and dry spells, and then in spring produces a crop of berries so soft that they stain your hands, the paving and, if you are not careful, the car. It is a tree to plant with its mess in mind.

What it brings is the first soft fruit of the year, ahead of the heat, from a tree that asks very little. A black mulberry eaten warm from the branch is a fruit that is hard to find in the shops, because ripe berries are too fragile to travel well.

Mulberries are among the toughest fruit trees for hot, dry climates. UF/IFAS describes three main types: red (native to North America), white (Morus alba, from China) and black (Morus nigra, from western Asia and the Middle East). White mulberry grows fastest and largest, to about 18 m; black is smaller, slower to fruit and regarded as the best-flavoured. UF/IFAS says mulberries thrive in infertile, sandy soils, are drought-tolerant once established and rarely need irrigation, while a desert-gardening guide for hot, dry climates adds that they tolerate alkaline soils and handle heat well. The berries ripen from spring into early summer.

The practical issues are staining, pollen and size. Fallen fruit stains whatever it lands on, so keep the tree away from driveways, paving and the pool deck; UF/IFAS notes light-fruited cultivars such as 'Tehama' and 'King White Pakistan' reduce staining. UF/IFAS says pollen from male trees is extremely allergenic while female trees cause few or no allergies, so choose a female or named fruiting cultivar. Left alone, a tree can grow far taller than you can reach; prune in the dormant season to build structure, and thin summer shoots to keep fruit within reach.

Inconsistent watering can cause fruit to shrivel and drop early, so give young trees steady irrigation through their first summers. Birds take ripening fruit readily, so net the branches you actually want to harvest. Place it where its summer shade is useful, such as west of a seating area, and let it drop its leaves in winter to let the sun through.

## Through the year

Mulberry runs a clear deciduous year. Planting goes in from October to February. The leaves fall in December and January, and that is the time for the main structural prune. Fresh leaves and shoots arrive in February to April, with catkins in February and March; male trees shed their pollen in spring. Berries form from March and ripen from April to June, and picking starts as soon as they turn dark and soft. By summer the tree is in full leaf, giving a wide, cool shade, and the summer shoots can be thinned to keep the next crop within reach.

| When | What | Note |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Oct–Feb | Plant: Best planting window | Plant while dormant or in mild weather; protect young south- and west-facing trunks from sunscald. |
| Dec–Jan | Leaf drop: Leaves fall for a few weeks | A mild winter dormancy in Dubai. |
| Dec–Feb | Prune: Prune while dormant | Build structure and cut back to keep fruit within reach; thin summer shoots later. |
| Feb–Apr | New growth: Fresh leaves and shoots |  |
| Feb–Mar | Flowers: Catkins open | Pollen from male trees is extremely allergenic; female trees cause few or no allergies (UF/IFAS). |
| Mar–Jun | Fruit: Berries form and ripen |  |
| Apr–Jun | Harvest: Picking season | Berries ripen from spring into early summer; shake onto a sheet and pick before birds take them. |

## Care in Dubai

- **Watering in summer:** Established trees are drought-tolerant, but steady deep irrigation every one to two weeks improves fruit quality; inconsistent watering shrivels and drops fruit.
- **Watering in winter:** Minimal while the tree is bare.
- **While establishing:** Deep, consistent watering through the first one to two years, especially the first summer; shield the trunk from sun.
- **Soil:** Very adaptable: sandy, infertile and alkaline soils are tolerated, provided drainage is adequate.
- **Feeding:** Little needed in poor sand beyond a light balanced feed in late winter and a mulch of compost; avoid heavy nitrogen, which makes vigorous leafy shoots.
- **Pruning:** Light formative pruning when young, then prune in the dormant season to build structure and thin summer shoots to keep fruit within reach. Wounds callus slowly, so make clean cuts and avoid heavy topping (UF/IFAS).
- **Planting:** Plant October–February in a sunny spot well away from paving, parking and pool decks. Wrap the trunk of young trees to protect south- and west-facing bark from sunscald.
- **Pests and problems:** Whiteflies; Scale insects; Spider mites; Powdery mildew; Leaf spot
- **Toxicity:** The ASPCA lists the mulberry tree as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Pollen from male trees is highly allergenic for people.

## Good and bad

**Pros**
- Thrives in heat, sandy soil and dry spells once established (UF/IFAS)
- Fast growing; a useful shade tree within a few seasons
- Deciduous: cool summer shade, then winter sun through the bare branches
- Sweet berries ripen in spring, before the real heat; ASPCA lists it as non-toxic to pets

**Cons**
- Fallen fruit stains paving, pool decks and cars, so site it well away from them
- Male trees shed highly allergenic pollen in spring; choose a fruiting cultivar
- Grows 12 m or more if unpruned, putting fruit out of reach
- Birds strip ripening fruit; netting is needed for a real harvest

## Common mistakes

- Planting it beside a patio or the pool. Ripe berries stain surfaces badly and are the number one complaint about the tree.
- Choosing a male seedling. Male trees shed highly allergenic pollen in spring, so choose a female or named fruiting cultivar.
- Leaving it unpruned. A mulberry can reach 12 m or more, and the fruit ends up out of reach while the lower branches thin out.
- Watering inconsistently while fruit forms. Irregular watering shrivels fruit and causes early drop.
- Forgetting the netting. Birds and other wildlife take ripening berries quickly, leaving little for the household.

## Good to know

- UF/IFAS says pollen from male trees is extremely allergenic while female trees cause few or no allergies; choose a fruiting, female cultivar for an allergy-prone household. US allergy references put peak symptoms in April and May.
- UF/IFAS suggests light-fruited cultivars such as 'Tehama' and 'King White Pakistan' reduce staining from fallen fruit.
- Black mulberry (Morus nigra), native to western Asia and the Middle East, is regarded as producing the best fruit but is smaller and slower than white mulberry.
- The National's guide to fruit trees for UAE gardens notes that some mulberry and guava varieties will grow here, which matches how widely the genus tolerates heat and sandy soil.

## Using it in a garden

Roles: Fruiting shade tree, Orchard tree, Seasonal shade for a seating area, Wildlife feeder tree

Choose the site for the mess it will make, not for the shade it will cast: well away from paving, pool decks, parked cars and anything pale. A lawn edge or a gravel orchard bed is ideal. Place it to the west of a seating area for summer shade and winter sun, and give it room to grow to 8–12 m unless you plan to prune it hard. Pick a female or named fruiting cultivar rather than a male seedling.

- [Fig](https://plantguide.ae/plants/fig.md): Another dry-climate deciduous fruit tree, with a similar winter dormancy and a later fruiting season, giving an old-style orchard of staggered harvests.
- [Pomegranate](https://plantguide.ae/plants/pomegranate.md): A smaller, sun-loving companion at the sunny edge of the canopy, with scarlet flowers when the mulberry is bare and green.
- [Olive](https://plantguide.ae/plants/olive.md): An evergreen, silver-green contrast that holds the garden's structure while the mulberry drops its leaves in winter.

## FAQ

**When do mulberries ripen in the UAE?**  
Typically from April to June, from spring into early summer, as berries turn dark and soft. UF/IFAS says berries ripen in late spring or summer.

**Are mulberry trees good for allergies?**  
Not male trees. UF/IFAS says pollen from male trees is extremely allergenic, while female trees cause few or no allergies. Choose a fruiting, female cultivar.

**Will a mulberry survive the Dubai summer?**  
Yes. Mulberries thrive in hot climates and handle heat well once established. Young trees need steady water and trunk protection from sunscald.

**How big does a mulberry get?**  
White mulberry can reach about 18 m, though pruning keeps it far smaller. Black mulberry is smaller. Prune in the dormant season to keep fruit within reach.

**Why do my mulberry fruits drop early?**  
Inconsistent watering is the usual culprit; a desert-gardening guide notes that irregular water shrivels and drops fruit. Keep irrigation steady through the first summers.

**Is mulberry safe for pets?**  
The ASPCA lists the mulberry tree as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses, though the fruit stains fur and paws.

## Related plants

[Fig](https://plantguide.ae/plants/fig.md) · [Pomegranate](https://plantguide.ae/plants/pomegranate.md) · [Olive](https://plantguide.ae/plants/olive.md) · [Date Palm](https://plantguide.ae/plants/date-palm.md) · [Sidr](https://plantguide.ae/plants/sidr.md)

## Photos

![A picture of Morus alba. This particular tree is the Pennsylvania state champion and can be found at Longwood Gardens.](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/MorusAlbaChampion.jpg)  
Photo: Chhe / Public domain / Wikimedia Commons ([source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MorusAlbaChampion.jpg))

![The leaves of the white mulberry (Morus alba) near Athens, Greece.](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/Rosales_-_Morus_alba_-_3.jpg)  
Photo: Emőke Dénes / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons ([source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rosales_-_Morus_alba_-_3.jpg))

![Morus alba - Tehran](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/Morus_alba_-_Tehran.JPG)  
Photo: Alborzagros / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons ([source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Morus_alba_-_Tehran.JPG))

## Sources

- [UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions: Mulberry](https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/edibles/fruits/mulberry/)
- [Growing in the Garden: How to Grow Mulberries (hot, dry climate guide)](https://growinginthegarden.com/how-to-grow-mulberries-hot-dry-climate/)
- [ASPCA: Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants, Mulberry Tree](https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/aspca-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants/mulberry-tree)
- [The National: 10 fruit trees good to grow in the UAE](https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts/10-fruit-trees-good-to-grow-in-the-uae-1.636058)
- [FAO: Crop salt tolerance data (Annex 1)](https://www.fao.org/4/y4263e/y4263e0e.htm)