Morus alba L. var. multicaulis (Perr.) Loudon

White Mulberry is a common tree that has been found throughout Illinois (see Distribution Map); it probably occurs in every county. This tree is especially abundant in urban areas. It was introduced from Asia as a food plant for the Chinese Silkworm (Bombyx mori) during the 19th century. Habitats include disturbed open woodlands, savannas and thickets, woodland borders, fence rows, powerline clearances in wooded areas, river banks, vacant lots, and unmowed waste areas. Sometimes White Mulberry is cultivated as a landscape tree, although this is less common than in the past.

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Greenhouse experiments show variable germination rates, with germination generally improving with cold stratification ([85], review by [33]), and variable results after ingestion by wildlife [12,85]. Wild-collected white mulberry seeds showed high germination rates (92.3%) in greenhouse trials where seeds were exposed to indirect sunlight and fluctuating temperatures from June to October. Germination rates were lower (78.3%) for seeds that had been ingested by box turtles prior to germination trials [12]. Another study found that dormancy of white mulberry seeds varies; seeds from the same cohort may exhibit seed coat dormancy, embryonic dormancy, or both. Seeds exhibiting all 3 types of dormancy showed improved germination following both cold stratification and digestion by American robins. Seeds had germination rates of 45.8% when just digested by American robins and 68.8% when digestion by American robins was combined with 90-day cold stratification. In contrast, control seeds with no treatment had a germination rate of 34.0% while those only exposed to cold stratification had a germination rate of 55.2%. Scarification of control seeds with a 15-minute sulfuric acid treatment reduced germination rates [85].

A forestry handbook from India reports that white mulberry seeds take 35 days to germinate [111], though one review reports an expected germination rate of 73% to 84% 8 to 12 days following 60-day stratification in sand [141].

The scientific name of white mulberry is Morus alba L. (Moraceae) [44,72].
In North America, white mulberry hybridizes with the native red mulberry (M. rubra)
([18,153,171,174], review by [30]).
Both species are highly variable and frequently confused with each other [44].
Numerous white mulberry cultivars occur in North America ([11,32,41], review by [33]).

Shrubs or trees , to 15 m. Bark brown tinged with red or yellow, thin, shallowly furrowed, with long, narrow ridges. Branchlets orange-brown or dark green with reddish cast, pubescent or occasionally glabrous; lenticels reddish brown, elliptic, prominent. Buds ovoid, 4-6 mm, apex acute to rounded; outer scales yellow-brown with dark margins, glabrous or with a few marginal trichomes; leaf scars half round, bundle scars numerous, in circle. Leaves: stipules ovate to lanceolate, 5-9 mm, pubescent; petiole 2.5-5 cm, short-pubescent. Leaf blade ovate, often deeply and irregularly lobed, (6-)8-10 × 3-6 cm, base cuneate, truncate, or cordate, margins coarsely serrate to crenate, apex acute to short-acuminate; surfaces abaxially glabrous or sparingly pubescent along major veins or in tufts in axils of principal lateral veins and midribs, adaxially glabrous to sparsely pubescent. Catkins: peduncle and axis pubescent; staminate catkins 2.5-4 cm; pistillate catkins 5-8 mm. Flowers: staminate and pistillate on same or different plants. Staminate flowers: sepals distinct, green with red tip, ca. 1.5 mm, pubescent; filaments ca. 2.7 mm. Pistillate flowers: ovary green, ovoid, slightly compressed, ca. 2 mm, glabrous; style branches divergent, red-brown, 0.5-1 mm; stigma papillose. Syncarps red when immature, becoming black, purple, or nearly white, cylindric, 1.5-2.5 × 1 cm; achenes light brown, ovoid, 2-3 mm.