The fruit of both our species is relished by birds, which are responsible for the wide distribution and frequently almost weedy occurrence of the white mulberry.
1. Leaves glabrous (at most papillate-roughened) beneath, except sparsely pubescent along the main veins and in the axils of the larger veins, lobes usually frequent; fruit white to dark purple.
M. alba
1. Leaves conspicuously pubescent beneath on the veins, and also between the veins except on very old leaves, lobes absent or rare; fruit always dark purple.
M. rubra
All species found in Morus
Citation:
MICHIGAN FLORA ONLINE. A. A. Reznicek, E. G. Voss, & B. S. Walters. February 2011. University of Michigan. Web. March 2, 2021. https://michiganflora.net/genus.aspx?id=Morus.