Wood Species Guide
Red Mulberry
Morus rubra
Also called: Mulberry, American Mulberry
About the name “Red Mulberry”
Lumber sold simply as 'mulberry' may be native red mulberry or the introduced white mulberry (Morus alba), which has naturalized widely. The two look and work much alike.
What Red Mulberry looks like
Fresh-cut heartwood is a bright golden yellow to orange that darkens to a medium reddish brown within months. Sapwood is pale. The color shift is dramatic, so plan for the aged color.
Grain and texture
Usually straight grain with a medium texture and visible ring-porous growth rings, a bit like a golden ash.
Working Red Mulberry: planing, cutting and gluing
Hard and dense, but it works well with sharp tools and turns nicely. It glues well. Logs are often short and knotty, so boards tend to be small.
Finishing Red Mulberry: oil, film finishes and epoxy
Takes oil and film finishes well. A UV-blocking finish slows the darkening a little but won't stop it. The open pores benefit from a grain filler for a glassy finish, and from a seal coat before any epoxy pour.
Durability, stability and Florida humidity
Rated very durable with good insect and weathering resistance, and it was traditionally used for fence posts. It is reasonably stable. It handles Florida humidity well once finished.
Shop notes from our Fort Myers shop
Mulberry grows across Florida, and tree crews take down plenty of it, but most logs end up as firewood because they are short and crooked. Saved and dried, the wood is beautiful for bowls, cutting boards, small tables and accents. Remember that the bright yellow will turn brown, so don't fall in love with the fresh color. We don't stock it; ask us about having local logs milled or sourcing pieces.
Common uses for Red Mulberry
Turnings, bowls, fence posts, small furniture, cutting boards and accent pieces.
Sustainability and CITES status
Not listed in the CITES Appendices or on the IUCN Red List.
Safety and toxicity
- No common reactions reported
Few reports. No reactions beyond ordinary wood dust irritation are reported for mulberry.
- In the shop
- Dust collection + dust mask when sanding
- Food contact
- Use with care for cutting boards, bowls and utensils
General information, not medical advice. See a doctor if you have a reaction.
No characteristic reactions are commonly reported beyond the normal risks of wood dust. Use dust collection.
Red Mulberry in stock now
Ask us. We can often source it.
We don't have Red Mulberry listed online right now, but new slabs and lumber come in all the time and not everything makes it to the website. Tell us what you're building and we'll check our racks and suppliers.
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