Young Crabapple?

East Bridgewater, MA

I've seen these funky leaves before that look like they could be hawthorn leaves, but really belong to young crabapples. Is that what I have here? This was on the roadside in a friend's yard.

Thumbnail by neefman Thumbnail by neefman Thumbnail by neefman Thumbnail by neefman
Scott County, KY(Zone 5b)

Not Hawthorn or Crabapple.

That's another mangy Morus alba. The variable leaf morphology is one of that species' trademark ID characteristics. The orangey bark is another. If you were to dig it up, you'd find orangey roots to go with it.

East Bridgewater, MA

This one is definitely the invasive type you think?

Scott County, KY(Zone 5b)

Use the same measuring stick as with your friend's tree:

If the leaves are thin and shiny, that's the non-native invasive one.

If the leaves are thick and rough, then it is the native Morus rubra - which is a keeper.

The pictures above are blurrier, but seem to illustrate the trademark glossy shininess to the leaves.

There are likely many many more of these trees around, when you've found a couple. Fruit-bearing trees are prodigious, and birds eat fruit and distribute seeds wherever they perch - thus you find them near/under other trees, along fences, etc.

You should learn to tell the difference between the species, as the native Red Mulberry tends to be far less prevalent. The invasive exotic White/Asian Mulberry is ubiquitous, and no one should feel bad about eliminating them in favor of almost any other native plant.

East Bridgewater, MA

I did a little reading and found some cool facts about both Morus Alba and Rubra. The white variety can be used to treat snakebites of the deadly Russell's Viper (perhaps the most dangerous snake in the entire world). White mulberries were (and are) used to cultivate silkworms in Asia.

The red variety gets cross bread by accident with the imported white and hurts their numbers, correct?

Scott County, KY(Zone 5b)

Correct - the hybridization of the invasive exotic with the native is not helpful.

Worse is the uncontrolled spread of the invasive exotic, which displaces habitat for any native plants which would normally occupy that space.

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