Mulberry plant also goes by the name of morus. The fruits produced by mulberry are edible.
But the great thing about mulberry plant is that it is known for being an ornamental tree too. Today, we are going to discuss about the root system of mulberry and find out whether it has got invasive roots or not.
Mulberry root system explained
Gardening experts have labelled the root system of mulberry plants as being invasive. Mulberry plants also possess shallow roots that can be found within the top two feet of the soil they are planted in. Other plants around the mulberry plants struggle to grow properly because of their roots.
Let’s look at some different varieties of mulberry plant and find out about the nature of their root system.
Dwarf mulberry:
Dwarf mulberry got its name for its slower growth rate compared to other varieties of mulberry plant.
Despite their shortcomings, dwarf mulberry plants are famous throughout the world for their benefits and uses. First of all, dwarf mulberry plants work wonderfully well as garden plants because od their small size.
Dwarf mulberry plants can be divided into two categories based on their uses. Some varieties of dwarf mulberry are known for producing incredible edible fruits. On the other hand, the rest of them are good for being ornamental trees.
The important thing to remember here is that dwarf mulberry plants require a lot of sunlight to reach their optimum growth. Dwarf mulberry plants are adaptive and do well in most of the soils. However, they need a lot of water for their stable growth.
The root system of dwarf mulberry plants can be described as being invasive. The invasiveness of their roots can cause trouble for other trees and structures because the roots are shallow as well.
Plants that have shallow and invasive roots are not good news for weak foundations. However, preventive measures can be taken to keep the invasive and shallow roots of dwarf mulberry plants in check.
Paper mulberry:
Paper mulberry plant is found mostly in Asia. This variety of Mulberry is known for its fast growth rate. Under perfect conditions and care, paper mulberry plants can grow up to fifty feet tall.
Just like dwarf mulberry plants, paper mulberry plants also require a lot of sun for their proper growth. The important thing to remember here is that paper mulberry plants grow well in almost all soils.
Paper mulberry plant is famous for having an invasive root system. They have such an invasive root system that it can create existential crisis for other plants around it.
Their invasive roots try to eliminate the plants and trees around them with their shallowness.
Paper mulberry is a dangerous variety when it comes to planting in a garden. You will need to protect the other plants from the invasiveness of paper mulberry roots on a consistent basis. Otherwise, it can really mess up the order of your garden.
Pruning the roots regularly can keep the paper mulberry roots in check. You will also need to avoid planting paper mulberry plants close to important foundations that can be damaged by the invasive roots of paper mulberry.
Weeping mulberry:
Weeping mulberry is one of the main food sources of silkworm. Additionally, there are two types of mulberry plants available throughout the world.
The male variety of mulberry plants is used as an ornamental tree. On the other hand, the female variety of mulberry plants is able to produce edible fruits.
The great thing about weeping mulberry plant is that they require a minimum amount of care and attention to reach their optimum growth.
A weeping mulberry plant can become as tall as fifteen feet if given the chance. Weeping mulberry plant does well under both full and partial sun.
According to gardening experts, weeping mulberry plants are known for having an invasive root system. Additionally, the roots of mulberry plants can also be described as being shallow.
The shallow roots of weeping mulberry plants can be problematic for the other plants of the garden.
The invasive and shallow roots of weeping mulberry plants can often pose challenges to the growth of many plants in the garden.
Moreover, if a weeping mulberry plant is planted near a sidewalk or sewer pipes, then its invasive and shallow roots can definitely hamper those structures.
Does Mulberry have deep roots?
It is believed by gardening experts that mulberry plants do not have deep roots. In fact, the root system of Mulberry plants can be described as shallow.
According to gardening experts, most roots of the mulberry plants can be found in the upper portion of the soil.
Most varieties of mulberry plants possess do not have deep roots and are blessed with shallow roots. It is very rare to see a mulberry plant having deep roots. Mulberry plants use their shallow roots to survive.
They use the horizontal growth of their roots and gather the required water and food nutrients from the soil. The top part of the shallow roots are utilized to gather air from the environment.
But the shallow roots of mulberry plants can often destroy the structure of the garden in many ways.
First of all, the roots of mulberry plants can stop the growth of other plants in the garden by creating obstacle. Secondly, the shallow roots of mulberry plants peeking out of the soil can eat away at the landscape beauty of the garden.
There are also other problems posed by the shallow roots of mulberry plants. The invasive and shallow roots of Mulberry plants can cause damage to the sidewalks and sewer pipes near them.
So you will have to avoid planting mulberry plants in potential risky places because of their invasive and shallow roots. If you are looking to grow plants with deep roots in your garden, then mulberry plants is not the answer for you.
How Deep Are Mulberry Roots?
Mulberry plants are not known for not having deep roots. According to gardening experts, the invasive roots of mulberry plants rest on top two feet of the soil.
This means that the roots of mulberry plants have an incredible horizontal growth and the vertical growth of mulberry roots is not so great.
Mulberry plants use the shallow root system to their advantage. It has been noted that the roots of mulberry plants reach far beyond their dripline. Mulberry plants try to use these shallow roots to collect water and food nutrients from the soil.
However, you can try to prune the shallow roots of your mulberry plant to protect other plants and structures.
The invasive and shallow roots of mulberry plants should not be taken lightly. Because they can certainly be problematic for the plants around them. You should not plant mulberry in your garden without considering the consequences.
Can Mulberry roots damage foundation or pipes?
Mulberry plants do not have strong enough roots to cause direct damage to foundation and pipes. However, mulberry plants can be responsible for causing indirect damage to your building’s foundation and pipes.
The important thing to remember here is that the roots of mulberry plants can be found within the top two feet of the soil. It just indicates at the fact that the roots of mulberry plants are quite shallow.
Additionally, the root system of mulberry plants is invasive too. The invasive nature of mulberry roots weakens the quality of the soil.
So if you have made the mistake of planting a mulberry tree near the foundation of your home, then the shallow and invasive roots of mulberry plant will gradually damage the quality of soil that is holding the foundation together.
On the other hand, if the foundation of your home is already weak due to other factors, then the invasive and shallow roots of mulberry plants will further contribute to it.
But the mulberry roots do not have the strength required to physically the pipes of your home.
If there is a leakage in the pipes in the form of holes and cracks, then the invasive and shallow roots of mulberry plant will simply follow it in order to gather water from the leakage.
Do Mulberry spread or multiply?
Mulberry plants are known for their incredible horizontal spread. The roots of mulberry plants can sometimes overgrow the height of mulberry plants. But mulberry plants do not use their spreading ability to multiply.
You will need to plant a cutting or a seed of the mulberry to grow it. Mulberry plants do not have the ability to multiply on their own. However, the method of root grafting can be used to help the multiply procedure of mulberry plants.
Final Thoughts
Mulberry plants are blessed with an invasive root system. Mulberry plants do not have deep roots. The shallow roots of mulberry plants reach beyond the dripline to collect water and food nutrients. Mulberry plants can cause indirect damage to foundation and pipes with its invasive and shallow roots.