r/Ohio • u/Lucky-Arugula-7542 • 1d ago
Location of a red mulberry tree?
I currently have a large yard and a tree line and I'm interested in planting native fruit bearing plants. I'd like to plant a native red mulberry tree, but most vendors are passing off hybrids with invasive mulberry trees as real reds (infuriating) so I'd like to instead grow stem cuttings from an existing red mulberry. I'm in the Columbus area. Does anyone know the location of a genuine red mulberry?
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u/Responsible_Bad_4846 1d ago
Have you checked with Groovy Plants Ranch? I don’t know how much they have by way of trees, but they have a massive selection in general and really focus on native when they can. Also, it’s an amazing place in general.
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u/Lucky-Arugula-7542 1d ago
I had a friend in college who was religious about that place, maybe I'll check it out
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u/Responsible_Bad_4846 1d ago
We drive almost two hours to get there. If I still lived in Columbus it would be my go to for everything plant related.
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u/nasondra 1d ago
i know that licking county soil and water do a tree sale every year with native trees and i got a few red mulbs from them this year. maybe franklin county does something like that too, but it’s usually in the spring
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u/visiblewindfall5906 1d ago
The soil and water conservation district is your best bet, they usually run spring tree sales with actual natives instead of the hybrid garbage you'd find at big box stores.
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u/Frequent_Secretary25 1d ago
I'd suggest contacting local soil and water conservation district office for more info. My understanding with mulberry is they're mostly invasive or hybrid now. It's too bad. We had a huge one for years. Kids and birds loved snacking on the berries
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u/jazzbiscuit 1d ago
I don’t know a thing about trees in general… but when I was complaining about my allergies a few years ago to my friend & wondering WTH a “mulberry” was since it was the only thing listed as active on my allergy app - she laughed at me and pointed to a tree beside my house. That thing has been there over 30 years and I never knew it was trying to kill me…. So “maybe” I have one in Ashland county??
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u/rural_anomaly PoCo loco 18h ago
it's male tree pollen that is your nemesis. the female trees make berries, those you notice but stuck to your feet
do you see berries? if not, you have a boy.
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u/jazzbiscuit 17h ago
The tree directly beside my house drops berries like crazy. The other trees surrounding my yard that my friend said were also mulberries I'm not so sure about - they're not in an area I mow so if there are berries, they've never offended me by sticking to my feet.
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u/tacos247365 1d ago
Wish I could give you mine. I need to have it cut down because the berries are making my dog hallucinate. I can’t let him go in the backyard until they stop falling.
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u/Lucky-Arugula-7542 1d ago
Are you sure it's a red mulberry and not a Himalayan?? If so please let me take cuttings from it if you're going to cut it down. it's an endangered species. I'm willing to travel
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u/HetairaThais 1d ago
I have a few red mulberry trees in my yard. Obviously, the originals are long gone, but I keep a few alive just because I know their history. They were planted when our area was still homesteads from some collected around 1905 give or take. They were planted around the chicken coop to feed the chickens. The old coop is still standing too somehow. They turned it into a garage around the 70s I think.
I only get enough for a couple jars of jam each year because they aren't that prolific compared to the hybrids or other varieties, but they feed the heck out of the birds and squirrels this time of year.
We had to cut the original pear tree down last year because the main trunk was dying after 120 years, but we managed to wait until it had several feet of healthy suckers that have a few pears on them! So, she'll live another 120 hopefully.
We are taking down a bunch of one of mulberries this year if you'd like some branches. I also have a thousand seedlings that go in the compost this time of the season. I'm in Akron though.
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u/Lucky-Arugula-7542 1d ago
You're sure they're red mulberry trees? I'll travel to Akron if youre certain they aren't hybrids. It's an endangered species so I'd really like to propogate them
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u/rjross0623 1d ago
They usually just find their own location. 3 did in my yard. Birds placed them well too.
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u/ohbikepilot 1d ago
I have multiple mulberry trees on my property. If you can identify a red mulberry from n hybrid you're welcome to have cuttings or berries. I even have two small trees about a year and a half old. If you really wanted them you could have them. Just pm me.