Have we been overlooking the perfect browse plant?

[Native Hunter]

I was noticing the weeping mulberry in my yard today and how the deer come in at night and devour the low hanging branches. I've always known that mulberry is a favored browse species - I think right up there with apple. A weeping mulberry might just be the perfect browse plant because of how it weeps. All of the new growth is going down within reach of the deer rather than up in the air like lots of other plants. And as you can see, my tree looks healthy despite all of the carnage. Just thinking out loud.........

Oh yea....I love those tasty little mulberries and the deer do too.......

 

[weekender21]

Any potential for this non native to become invasive?


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[Native Hunter]

Any potential for this non native to become invasive?


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I've heard rumors of white mulberry being somewhat invasive in some areas of the country, but I haven't seen that here. In fact, very few mulberry sprouts survive, because they are eaten to the ground by the deer as soon as they sprout. I've had two of these weeping varieties in my yard for over 10 years and so far I'm not aware of another one coming up anywhere around me. However, autumn olive and bush honeysuckle are showing up everywhere.

 

[weekender21]

I've heard rumors of white mulberry being somewhat invasive in some areas of the country, but I haven't seen that here. In fact, very few mulberry sprouts survive, because they are eaten to the ground by the deer as soon as they sprout. I've had two of these weeping varieties in my yard for over 10 years and so far I'm not aware of another one coming up anywhere around me. However, autumn olive and bush honeysuckle are showing up everywhere.

We have quite a few volunteer white mulberry in the VA Beach area, around ball fields, ditches, etc.

That’s a bummer about the autumn olive and bush honeysuckle. The number one offender on our property is multi flora rose. I didn’t think it was too bad when we first bought the place but I was wrong, it’s everywhere.


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[Native Hunter]

We have quite a few volunteer white mulberry in the VA Beach area, around ball fields, ditches, etc.

That’s a bummer about the autumn olive and bush honeysuckle. The number one offender on our property is multi flora rose. I didn’t think it was too bad when we first bought the place but I was wrong, it’s everywhere.


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MFR is plentiful around here too. I don't get too upset with it, because it is browsed some, and pretty easy to kill. It can't take mowing or shade and plain Gly will kill it to the roots. If it comes up where I don't want it, I will whack it, but otherwise ignore it.

 

[Fishman]

Any potential for this non native to become invasive?

Yes. White mulberry has become invasive in certain areas. The main problem with white mulberry is that it will hybridize with native red mulberry so it is breeding a native species out of existence. Below is a decision tree on what you should do if you have white mulberry.

 

[Native Hunter]

That's a wonderful chart. I will just add one thing to it. When you "remove as soon as possible and encourage neighbors to do the same," bring all of them to me so that I can plant them for deer browse!

 

[KSQ2]

We have quite a few volunteer white mulberry in the VA Beach area, around ball fields, ditches, etc.

That’s a bummer about the autumn olive and bush honeysuckle. The number one offender on our property is multi flora rose. I didn’t think it was too bad when we first bought the place but I was wrong, it’s everywhere.


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Multi floral rose and blackberry briars are a continual thorn in my side….literally!

 

[Native Hunter]

Multi floral rose and blackberry briars are a continual thorn in my side….literally!

And, if I could magically turn every native sweetgum on my land into a non native white mulberry, I would wave the magic wand and do it in a heartbeat.

 

[Native Hunter]

Just in case anyone is interested, below is a link on how White Mulberry got established in this country. I don't think that in 2023 we are going to be very successful in undoing something that started in 1733 (or possibly before that).

But while we are at it, maybe we should eliminate these other non native species:

Pears
Peaches
Apples
Spinach
Carrots
Oranges
Peanuts
Chinese Chestnuts
Wheat
I could go on, but why..........................

The History of The Mulberry, by The Silkwormshop

 

[BearCreek]

White Mulberry is one of the few non-natives (excepting food plot species) that gets a pass from me. I have planted quite a few native red mulberrys from the MDC but even they won't guarantee they are red vs the non-native white. If I thought I could eliminate all the whites and have only red I would do so. Regardless, mulberry is an extremely valuable browse and mast producing tree. I now flag all the non-fruit producing mature males for hinging so that their leaves are more accessible to deer and leave the fruit producing females to keep producing fruit. Mulberry and Osage Orange are my most heavily browsed trees (or any seedling I plant!). I highly recommend hinging osage for browse, I usually see people discuss hickory, elm, etc as their favorite trees to hinge but Osage is fantastic and overlooked.

 

[yoderjac]

Just in case anyone is interested, below is a link on how White Mulberry got established in this country. I don't think that in 2023 we are going to be very successful in undoing something that started in 1733 (or possibly before that).

But while we are at it, maybe we should eliminate these other non native species:

Pears
Peaches
Apples
Spinach
Carrots
Oranges
Peanuts
Chinese Chestnuts
Wheat
I could go on, but why..........................

The History of The Mulberry, by The Silkwormshop

I think there is a difference between non native species and invasive non native species. We have a lot of non native species that benefit deer and other wildlife, both invasive and non-invasive. The issue with invasive non-native species is that without the natural controls present from their native locations, some can out-compete many native species that benefit wildlife even more. Over time, this problem resolves itself as controls eventually establish themselves in the new area. The real issue is the short-term imbalance. When we intervene and intentionally try to control a non-native invasive, we are reducing the short-term impact and buying time for controls to establish themselves. It is very rare that we are able to eliminate a non-native invasive.

By the way, when I say short-term in the above, it could be a generation. Eventually, the eco-system comes back into balance.

 

[wbpdeer]

Native Hunter,

I like your list and I would add sawtooth to it because I am tired of the anti-sawtooth crowd handing out grief about the sawtooth. It has been in American about 105 years last time I checked.

Do-overs don't happen in the real world. I obtained a price on White Mulberry and Red Mulberry this morning while talking to my favorite local nursery. Quote was $15 for a one-gallon container plant.

In Tennessee when oak crops are poor and we have bitter record-breaking low temperatures during late season doe hunts, you can bet your truck and gun the deer will be in the honeysuckle. If ice is involved, they will hit the honeysuckle well after daylight when any sunlight has melted or thinned the ice off the leaves. The honeysuckle can be a lifesaving food to a stressed yearling.

I also priced some elderberry plants too.

 

[yoderjac]

Native Hunter,

I like your list and I would add sawtooth to it because I am tired of the anti-sawtooth crowd handing out grief about the sawtooth. It has been in American about 105 years last time I checked.

Do-overs don't happen in the real world. I obtained a price on White Mulberry and Red Mulberry this morning while talking to my favorite local nursery. Quote was $15 for a one-gallon container plant.

In Tennessee when oak crops are poor and we have bitter record-breaking low temperatures during late season doe hunts, you can bet your truck and gun the deer will be in the honeysuckle. If ice is involved, they will hit the honeysuckle well after daylight when any sunlight has melted or thinned the ice off the leaves. The honeysuckle can be a lifesaving food to a stressed yearling.

I also priced some elderberry plants too.

Sawtooth oak was one of the first trees I planted many, many, years ago. I was underwhelmed when I came to attraction as I was not doing QDM at the time. What I found was that all the nuts were on the ground and consumed before our October bow season begins. You are spot on about providing a balance from a QDM perspective in poor mast crop years. They are very consistent producers. I have since learned that there are multiple strains of Sawtooth, some of which hold acorns into Oct and Nov.

I have seen zero sign of them being invasive. My only caution for folks considering sawtooth is to make sure they get a strain that drops when they want if they are using them for attraction.

I could find little if any documentation on specific strains. I know they exist as I know folks who have trees that drop much later than mine. I think the key is finding a grower who is aware of this and is using nuts from a strain that drops later.

 

[Native Hunter]

Native Hunter,

I like your list and I would add sawtooth to it because I am tired of the anti-sawtooth crowd handing out grief about the sawtooth. It has been in American about 105 years last time I checked.

Do-overs don't happen in the real world. I obtained a price on White Mulberry and Red Mulberry this morning while talking to my favorite local nursery. Quote was $15 for a one-gallon container plant.

In Tennessee when oak crops are poor and we have bitter record-breaking low temperatures during late season doe hunts, you can bet your truck and gun the deer will be in the honeysuckle. If ice is involved, they will hit the honeysuckle well after daylight when any sunlight has melted or thinned the ice off the leaves. The honeysuckle can be a lifesaving food to a stressed yearling.

I also priced some elderberry plants too.

Wayne, if you ever want any of my shrubs, you can drive up here and we will dig some up for you. I have lots of arrowwood viburnum, hazelnut, grey dogwood and elderberry. I also have witch hazel, but sprouts are sometimes difficult to find. You are not much over an hour and a half from me. You have given so many chestnuts to different people over the years, I would like to give something to you. You can PM me if you ever want to do this. I could try to flag some stuff while the leaves are on and we could dig it up later in the fall.

 

[wbpdeer]

Native,

That sounds great. I am likely to take you up on the offer. Would it be alright if I had a tomato grower from Alabama (huge Auburn Fan) to join me when I visit your farmer. Ole Milton has been a bad influence on me, done got me growing tomatoes. He says i can learn to graft and he liked my "they call me killer story" about all my past grafting efforts.

wbpdeer

 

[Native Hunter]

Native,

That sounds great. I am likely to take you up on the offer. Would it be alright if I had a tomato grower from Alabama (huge Auburn Fan) to join me when I visit your farmer. Ole Milton has been a bad influence on me, done got me growing tomatoes. He says i can learn to graft and he liked my "they call me killer story" about all my past grafting efforts.

wbpdeer

Lol, yes the “Mater Man” is welcome too.