Mulberry tree identification test edit

The Black Mulberry Morus nigra, native to south-west Asia, was probably introduced about 1500. It has been cultivated for centuries for its edible fruit and has been planted in many cottage gardens, formal gardens and parks. The fruit of the Black Mulberry is sweet and juicy in late summer.

The White Mulberry Morus alba, native to China, was introduced to Britain in the 16th century. It is the favourite food plant of the silkworm and is cultivated on a large scale in China and other parts of the World. It is rare in Britain but is found in a few gardens in the warmer areas.

Mulberry tree identification – Black Mulberry and White Mulberry – tree shape, leaf shape and fruit colour in summer and autumn

Black Mulberry

The fruit turns red at the end of July and is black by August or September.This type of fruit is known as a multiple fruit because it consists of a number of drupes fused together to make one big fruit.

White Mulberry

The flowers produce fruit in July which changes from white through purple

There are three species of Lime that flower in June and July. The Broad-leaved Lime is native to Europe and Western Asia. It was probably introduced to Britain but now grows naturally in the lime rich soils such as those of the Wye Valley and parts of the Pennines. It flowers in June. The Small-leaved Lime is native to Europe, including Britain. It grows naturally in old woods and hedges in England and Wales as far north as the Lake District and some varieties have been planted in  gardens and streets. It flowers in July. The Common Lime is a natural hybrid of the Broad-leaved Lime and the Small-leaved Lime and grows across Europe wherever these two are present. In Britain it has been planted everywhere in streets, parks, churchyards and formal gardens. The Common Lime flowers after the Broad-leaved Lime, usually in July.

Lime tree flowers and fruit are always attached to a pale green, odd-shaped leaf called a bract. The number of flowers and fruit per bract varies between Lime species but they are all arranged in a branched structure called a cyme. 

Lime trees do not produce the citrus fruits we know as limes. They come from a small tree with the scientific name Citrus aurantifolia, which originates in Southeast Asia. The word lime, as used for trees in Britain is believed to come from the Old English word lind.

The fruit of the Broad-leaved lime is strongly ribbed. The 5 ribs can easily be seen by mid September.

Flowers of the Small-leaved Lime develop into fruit by mid August

Fruit of the Common Lime at the end of July. There are 4 to 10 per bract. The fruit are not ribbed like Broad-leaved Lime fruit.

There are 5 to 7 tooth-edged leaflets on each leaf. This is a pinnate leaf. The  buds and leaves are in opposite pairs. The buds in winter are large and purple and look ragged. For more photos click HERE.

Fruit in late September. The complexity of the branching system can be seen here.

The London Plane (Platanus x hispanica) is probably a hybrid between the Oriental Plane and the American Sycamore, first created in Spain or southern France in about 1650. It was introduced to Britain in about 1680. It is now common in large gardens and parks and very common on city streets where it has proved resistant to pollution.  The flowers and  fruit are unusual. The tree is monoecious and has globular male and female flower heads on separate catkins.

The bark is unmistakeable, yellow patches remain after large brown flakes fall off. This is one factor which enables Plane trees to survive highly polluted urban environments. Soot blocks the breathing pores located in bark but by shedding polluted bark the tree avoids this problem.

Male flowers shedding yellow pollen in May.

Seeds about to be dispersed from last year’s fruit in spring. The seeds are now hidden by the hairs which have elongated since December. Like dandelion seeds they are dispersed by the wind.