Introduced to North America in colonial times to feed silkworms, Morus alba is now naturalized across fields, forest edges, and roadsides from coast to coast. At maturity it reaches 50 to 60 feet with an equal spread, developing a rounded canopy and a short, often crooked trunk. The male and female flowers are yellowish green and appear on separate plants in spring; the female produces the small sweet fruit in early summer, which birds consume with enthusiasm and distribute efficiently — a key reason the tree spreads so readily. Fall color is an unremarkable yellow, occasionally streaked with green or brown.

It is a tough, adaptable tree: tolerant of heat, drought, pollution, and alkaline soil, and fast-growing enough to establish quickly. The shallow root system can be problematic near paving, and dropped fruit stains concrete and cars, so site selection matters. Where the canopy will extend is worth thinking through before planting. Wisconsin lists it as a noxious weed and restricts its movement; elsewhere it hybridizes with the native red mulberry, which threatens that species through genetic dilution. The birds will love it regardless of where it lands.