'Silk Hope' mulberry has both edible and ornamental features. It is a hybrid between red mulberry and white mulberry. It bears 1½ inch long, sweet, black fruit that ripens for two months in early summer. Fruits are quite large and similar in flavor to 'Illinois Everbearing' mulberry. It is more cold hardy than black mulberry and, because it has a native species as one of its parents, it does better than most mulberry trees in the heat and humidity of the South. It can live up to 125 years, but the weedy invasive character is not appealing. These trees are more resilient to fungal diseases in the Southeast than 'Illinois Everbearing'. More information on Morus rubra .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Fills a similar nicheMorus alba x rubra 'Illinois Everbearing'Morus rubra 'Townsend'Morus rubra 'Travis'
Full plant profile
Growing Conditions
Plant type
Edible; Tree
Life cycle
Woody
USDA zones
5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
Available space
6-feet-12 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Growth rate
Rapid
Canopy layer
2 - Understory
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Oval
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Ovate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf feel
Rough; Velvety
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Alternate broad simple green leaves with a notch at the base and a fine serrated margin. The upper surface is rough and under surface is full of soft hair.
Flower color
Green
Flower form
Insignificant
Flower detail
The small yellowish-green flower of the Silk Hope red mulberry is not showy. Male flower and female flower can bloom on the same tree or different trees.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit color
Black; Purple/Lavender
Fruit type
Berry
Fruit value
Edible
Fruit size
1-3 inches long
Fruit detail
produces numerous black fruit that looks like blackberry but slender with a size of 1 1/4''. It is sweet in flavor, similar to Illinois Everbearing but larger.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Wildlife value
This plant is moderately resistant to damage from deer. It is a possible host plant for the Red Admiral butterfly. Its fruits are eaten by many birds, especially gray catbirds and northern mockingbirds, foxes, opossums, raccoons, and squirrels.
Attracts
Butterflies; Songbirds
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Fruit
Harvest time
Summer
Fruit type
Berry
Edibility
Berries for making jelly, wine, and dessert.
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Lawn
Landscape theme
Edible Garden
Design feature
Flowering Tree; Shade Tree
Garden tags
#deciduous #drought tolerant #deer resistant #messy #edible garden #bird friendly #butterfly friendly #non-toxic for cats #non-toxic for horses #non-toxic for dogs #cold tolerant #edible fruits #weedy #HS304