This is a Mulberry Tree, a plant in genus Morus. This mulberry tree has not been pruned much, and has grown wildly big in our backyard at Cliffside Park, New Jersey. It has reached a height of approximately 25 ft and trunk diameter of about 40 in.
The ripe mulberry fruit is edible, and can be made into a delicious jam!
But besides people, who else makes use of this awesome plant? The BWC team has investigated this question, gathering data of what birds and animals eat the plant’s berries, every summer since 2015. We have given a name to celebrate the time the mulberries are ripe (June-July), the “Great Mulberry Tree Festival.” During this time, we have fun picking the berries and observing all kinds of birds and wildlife who are also picking berries. The results of our survey? Squirrels and robins are our number one backyard mulberry-loving species! Watch out for the next blog post detailing this year’s results!
