What's eating my black mulberry?

Black Mulberry's rich, dark berries attract birds above all else. Mulberry whitefly can colonize leaves in warm climates, and scale insects occasionally encrust older stems. In gardens, slugs sometimes damage fallen fruit beneath the canopy. Netting younger trees and maintaining good air circulation around the canopy reduces most problems.

Ripe and ripening berries eaten directly from the tree; significant losses at peak harvest Net smaller trees; for large trees, harvest frequently and accept some bird share

White waxy nymphs on leaf undersides; honeydew and sooty mould coat upper leaf surfaces Insecticidal soap or neem oil spray; reflective mulch under the tree; encourage lacewings

Rough, crusty encrustations on bark; stunted or dying branches; honeydew drip Horticultural oil applied during dormancy; prune and dispose of heavily infested stems