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Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

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Morus microphylla (Texas mulberry)
Lytle, Melody

Morus microphylla

Morus microphylla Buckley

Texas Mulberry, Littleleaf Mulberry, Mountain Mulberry, Mexican Mulberry, Dwarf Mulberry

Moraceae (Mulberry Family)

Synonym(s): Morus confinis, Morus crataegifolia, Morus grisea, Morus radulina

USDA Symbol: MOMI

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

Shrub or small tree with smooth, light gray bark. Leaves smaller than those of red and white mulberry; blades up to 2 1/2 inches long, roughly ovate, frequently lobed, with toothed margins, an extended tip, and rounded or slightly lobed base. Flowers inconspicuous, in short, drooping clusters. Fruit a cluster of minute, fleshy, berrylike fruits varying from red to black, ripening in May, edible.

 

From the Image Gallery

5 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Breeding System: Flowers Unisexual
Fruit Type: Achene , Aggregate
Size Notes: Up to about 25 feet tall.
Fruit: Syncarps, red, purple or black.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Red , Green
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May

Distribution

USA: AZ , NM , OK , TX
Native Distribution: Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Arizona south through Mexico as far as Costa Rica
Native Habitat: Hillsides, Slopes, Canyons

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry
Soil Description: Caliche type, Limestone-based, Sandy, Sandy Loam, Medium Loam, Clay Loam, Clay, Igneous

Benefit

Use Ornamental: Attractive, Fruits ornamental
Use Wildlife: Cover, Nesting site, Fruit-mammals, Fruit-birds, Browse
Use Other: One of a number of species whose bark was used to make amate, bark paper.
Interesting Foliage: yes
Attracts: Birds
Deer Resistant: No

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:AGCPAKAWCBEMPGPHIMWNCNEWMVE
Status: FACU UPL FACU
This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Texas Discovery Gardens - Dallas, TX
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department - Austin, TX

Herbarium Specimen(s)

NPSOT 0719 Collected Mar 27,1994 in Comal County by Mary Beth White

1 specimen(s) available in the Digital Herbarium

Bibliography

Bibref 298 - Field Guide to Texas Trees (1999) Simpson, B.J.
Bibref 354 - Native & Naturalized Woody Plants of Austin & the Hill Country (1981) Lynch, D.
Bibref 291 - Texas Wildscapes: Gardening for Wildlife (1999) Damude, N. & K.C. Bender
Bibref 297 - Trees of Central Texas (1984) Vines, Robert A.
Bibref 286 - Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country (1989) Enquist, M.

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 3 - Flora of North America (2014) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Morus microphylla in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Morus microphylla in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Morus microphylla

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-04-18
Research By: TWC Staff

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