Photo by Lindsey G. on iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0
Mulberries
Morus rubra
- When
- Typically June – July — June, July. Earlier in the south, later in the north.
- Where it grows
- Old lots, alleys, park edges — one of the great urban foraging trees.
- How to know it
- Blackberry-shaped fruit growing on a tree, not a cane. Leaves vary wildly on one tree, from plain ovals to mitten shapes.
- Look-alikes
- None dangerous. Unripe white fruit and the milky sap can upset stomachs.
- Harvest and use
- Spread a sheet and shake the branch. Eat fresh, or bake — they're low in acid, so add lemon.
Found in these regions
- Central Hardwoods & Interior Plateaus
- Northeast Atlantic Coast & Piedmont
- Southeastern Piedmont & Coastal Plain
- Great Lakes & St. Lawrence Lowlands
- Gulf Coast & Mississippi Lowlands
- Mediterranean California
- Prairies & Great Plains
Hardiness zones 5–10.
Is it ready near you?
Get this week's foraging guide for your area
Enter a town, postal code or ZIP and we'll tell you what's in season right there this week — from your local climate, this week's weather and your ecological region.
Also ready in September
FruitAugust – SeptemberBeach plum
Prunus maritima
Low sprawling shrub in the sand, with dusty purple plums about the size of a marble.
How to know it & its look-alikes →Photo: Tom Norton · CC BY 4.0
NutSeptember – OctoberBlack walnut
Juglans nigra
Tennis-ball green husks lying under a tall tree with long compound leaves; the husk stains everything it touches brown.
How to know it & its look-alikes →Photo: Sandy Wolkenberg · CC BY 4.0
FruitAugust – SeptemberChokecherry
Prunus virginiana
Long drooping clusters of dark red-to-black cherries on a small tree with finely toothed oval leaves.
How to know it & its look-alikes →Photo: Tom Norton · CC BY 4.0
Educational information only. Never eat a wild plant or mushroom identified from a single photograph or description — confirm with a regional field guide or an experienced forager, and know the poisonous species in your area first.