For the gardener who loves berries and birds, plant a mulberry tree this fall. Mulberries need full sun and adequate space to mature since they can reach a height of 30 feet. They thrive in any well drained soil and tolerate drought once established.

Children love mulberries almost as much as do birds. It's a tree to climb into to retrieve handfuls of berries that ripen daily over several months. On a recent visit to my grandmother's mulberry tree, I came away with fruitstained fingers, feet, and tongue.

Mulberry fruits are shaped like blackberries and can be white (Morus alba), red (Morus rubra), or black (Morus nigra). Red mulberry is native to North America while the white and black are natives of Asia. The non- natives were introduced to America as early as 1621.

Virginia colonists were required to care for mulberry trees in the new Colonial silkworm farms. Silkworms consume mulberry leaves. For 200 years, the silkworm industry flourished in the United States. But by 1839, cheaper labor in foreign countries, severe cold in winter, and disease brought the industry to a close here.

Mulberries ripen at different times over several months. The deciduous tree with a round- domed crown is an excellent shade tree. Tooth- edged leaves resembling fig or persimmon leaves often are lobed like a mitten or misshapen glove.

Recognized as the last tree to bud in spring, gardeners use it as a sign that the danger of frost is past. The plant's genus name, Morus, means delay in Latin.

Flowers appear on current season's growth and are wind pollinated. Mulberries are propagated by seed, grafting, and hardwood, softwood, and root cuttings.

Mulberries experience long healthy lives. Red mulberries live up to 75 years and black mulberries have been known to produce fruit for 300 years.

Ripe berries fall readily. The easiest way to harvest large quantities for freezing or baking is to spread a plastic tarp under the tree and shake the branches. Ripe berries fall like rain. While sorting the berries, fireflies in the fruit appeared to be sucking the juices of the berry at the mulberry pub. Berries vary in flavor depending on the variety. They are best when baked in tarts, muffins, breads, pies, and crisps.

In Medieval England, mulberry puree was added to spiced meat or eaten as pudding. In Tibet, dried mulberries were ground into flour and mixed with dried almonds for a staple food in winter. Stories from England report that ladies would take their afternoon tea, scones and cream under the mulberry tree letting the fruit drop down into the cream.

In the United States, fruit farmers often planted mulberry trees to keep birds away from other more treasured and less abundant berries. Many mulberry trees were planted on farms near barns or homesteads. Fruits served both domestic animals and the farm family.

Mulberries are trees which provide an abundance of fruit and pleasure to humankind and wildlife.