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Clicking any heading in the main data area (at right) will scroll the page back to this top position. Use the following links to jump to the associated section in the main data. Blunting Effect Boring Carving Certified Source Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Distribution Overview Drying Defects Ease of Drying Environmental Profile Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Luster Mortising Moulding Movement in Service Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Odor Painting Planing Polishing Product Sources References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Routing & Recessing Sanding Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Staining Steam Bending Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Size Turning Varnishing Veneering Qualities Weathering Scientific Name Morus rubra Trade Name Red Mulberry Family Name Moraceae Common Names Moral, Mulberry, Red Mulberry Regions of Distribution North America Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Canada, United States Common Uses Baskets, Building materials, Caskets, Cooperages, Foundation posts, Interior construction, Interior trim, Millwork, Moldings, Posts, Stakes, Trimming, Wainscotting Environmental Profile Vulnerable Abundant/Secure Rare Widespread Vulnerable in parts of its natural habitat May be rare in some parts of its range Globally secure Generally widespread, secure, and abundant within most of its range Extinct, Endangered, Vulnerable, or Rare within parts of its range Data source is World Conservation Monitoring Center Data source is Nature Conservancy Abundant This species is suspected to be either Extinct, Endangered, Vulnerable, or Rare within its range in Minnesota. It has officially been classified as Rare in the state of Michigan, and Vulnerable in the state of Vermont. Distribution Overview The tree prefers moist soils in hardwood forests, and occurs in British Columbia, Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Ontario, Florida, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Illinois, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. Heartwood Color Yellow Orange Brown Black Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Golden brown with a reddish cast The heartwood is initially orange-yellow to golden brown, but matures into a russet-brown color Sapwood Color White Yellow Pink Green/Grey Brown Yellowish Narrow Grain Even Straight Straight Wood is plain in appearance. Plain sawn lumber has the best surface Texture Coarse Medium Medium Medium coarse to coarse Luster Medium High Natural Durability Very durable Resistant to marine borers Resistant to termites Susceptible to insect attack Non-resistant to powder post beetles Resistant to powder post beetles Durable Highly resistant to decay Natural resistance to decay is rated as very high, and the wood is suitable for outdoor applications Weathering Good Odor Has an odor No specific smell or taste Toxicity Some toxic effects Drying Defects Checking Splitting Distortion Ease of Drying Moderately Difficult to Difficult Fairly Easy Thick Stock Requires Care Rapidly Slowly End-Coating Variable High shrinkage is common Easy Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries slowly Naturally dries quickly Slow Drying rate is slow Tree Size Bole length is 20-30 m Trunk diameter is 150-200 cm Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm Tree height is 50-60 m Sapwood width is 5-10 cm Tree height is 40-50 m Sapwood width is 0-5 cm Bole length is 30-40 m Tree height is 30-40 m Bark width is 10-15 mm Tree height is 20-30 m Product Sources Red mulberry is of little commercial importance as a source for lumber because of its small size and scattered occurrence. It is rarely available from lumber dealers, but can be obtained in small quantities for small projects. The trees are especially available in northern Virginia where it is considered a pest tree and disposed of as firewood. Certified Source Certified Source Comments Red mulberry is rather weak and is not recommended for applications where strength is of primary concern. The wood is highly suitable for furniture if it is processed and dried properly Weak Blunting Effect Moderate Little Boring Fairly difficult to very difficult Fairly easy to very easy Carving Fair to Good Results Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw Moderate to saw Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Easy to glue Mortising Fairly Easy to Very Easy Moulding Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Movement in Service Excellent Stability - Small Movement Fair to Good Stability - Medium Movement Nailing Pre-Boring Recommended Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Tends to split during nailing Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Red mulberry responds readily to power tools in most machining operations, and is very easy to work Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Permeable sapwood Resistant sapwood Permeable heartwood Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Fairly Difficult to Difficult to Work Routing & Recessing Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult Fair to Good Results Sanding Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Screwing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Good screw holding properties Turning Fairly Easy to Very Easy Veneering Qualities Suitable for peeling Veneers moderately easy Veneers easily Difficult to veneer Suitable for slicing Steam Bending Poor to Very Poor Results Fair to Good Results Unsuitable Painting Fair to Good Results Polishing Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Surface Preparation Staining Fair to Good Results Very Good to Excellent Results Varnishing Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Specific Gravity 0.55 Item Green Dry Metric References Kline, M. 1985. Morus rubra - Red mulberry. In A Guide to Useful Woods of the World. Flynn Jr., J.H., Editor. King Philip Publishing Co., Portland, Maine. 1994. Page 239-240. Little, E.L. 1980. The Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Trees - Western Region. Published by Arthur A. Knopf, New York. Panshin, A.J. and C. deZeeuw. 1980. Textbook of Wood Technology, 4th Edition. McGraw-Hill Series in Forest Resources. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York. WCMC. 1992. Conservation Status Listing: Trees and Timbers of the World. World Conservation Monitoring Center (WCMC, Plants Program, 219 Huntingdon Road, Cambridge, CB3 ODL, United Kingdom.