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Fruitless mulberries are a classic Sacramento-area yard tree. They grow fast, take the Valley heat, and throw dense summer shade — which is exactly why so many were planted in front yards and along streets. Decades later, many of those trees have outgrown their space. Common complaints: roots heaving the driveway, heavy spring pollen, and knobby pollarded trees that haven't been cut back in years. This guide covers what UC sources say about mulberry problems, the questions to ask before you remove one, the permit rules around Sacramento, and what removal typically costs.
The fruitless mulberry is a male selection of white mulberry (Morus alba). UC IPM – Mulberry describes mulberries as fast-growing, fairly large deciduous trees, most growing 20 to 60 feet tall, and says fruitless varieties such as 'Fan San', 'Fruitless', and 'Stribling' are preferred because the fruit of other types stains walkways. A UC Cooperative Extension – Fruitless Mulberry Tree fact sheet (PDF) from UC Cooperative Extension adds that mulberries like heat, can take some drought once established, are long lived, and in the open usually develop a short, stout trunk with a thick, wide crown.
Fruitless mulberry is also part of Sacramento's planting history. The Sacramento Tree Foundation lists fruitless mulberries among the planting fads — along with Modesto ash, liquidambars, and ornamental pears — that later fell out of favor as residents found their traits, such as intrusive roots or weak structure, didn't fit their neighborhoods (Sacramento Tree Foundation – Growing a resilient urban forest). The Foundation adds that a healthy tree that isn't causing problems can be enjoyed for a long time — an old mulberry isn't automatically a removal.
Many older Sacramento mulberries have clubbed "knuckles" at the ends of the main limbs. That's pollarding: every year or two, the new shoots are cut back to the same knobs. Done consistently from a young age, it keeps the tree small. The problem is what happens when it stops. Ask Extension – Pruning mulberry trees explains that the sprouts that grow from a pollard knob are very weakly attached and need to be pruned every year or two, because in just a few years they can become heavy enough to be a potential hazard.
If you've bought a home with a pollarded mulberry, you have three realistic options:
Whatever you choose, avoid "topping" an unpollarded mulberry — cutting large limbs back to stubs. The UC Cooperative Extension fact sheet recommends pruning mulberries in winter after the leaves have fallen. See when to trim trees and tree trimming cost.
Pollen, leaf drop, and a bare lawn under the canopy are real nuisances, but they aren't hazards. Weigh them against the shade a large mulberry provides on a Sacramento summer afternoon. Not sure? See tree removal vs. trimming: how to decide.
Many mulberries were planted as street trees. In the City of Sacramento, a tree whose trunk is in the park strip, sidewalk, or other public right-of-way is a City tree maintained by Urban Forestry, and you can't prune or remove it without a permit. If tree roots are behind a City sidewalk-repair notice, the City says to call 311 after the sidewalk is removed and the roots exposed, so a City arborist can recommend how the roots should be cut (City of Sacramento – Tree Questions). See street trees: who's responsible. In some other cities — West Sacramento, for example — the adjacent owner is responsible for street trees.
Mulberry isn't a native species, so the native-oak rules that dominate local ordinances don't apply. Size and location are what usually matter:
Other areas: City of Sacramento · unincorporated Sacramento County · Elk Grove · Roseville · Folsom · Citrus Heights · Rancho Cordova · West Sacramento · Davis. Measure the trunk at 4.5 feet (circumference ÷ 3.14) before you call.
We didn't find a reliable published price specific to mulberries, so the best guide is height. These are national published ranges (estimates, not quotes) used across this site; Sacramento-area labor often runs above national averages:
| Height | Angi | HomeGuide |
|---|---|---|
| Under 30 ft | $150–$450 | $200–$500 |
| 30–60 ft | $450–$1,200 | $500–$1,500 |
| 60–80 ft | $800–$1,500 | $850–$2,000 |
| Over 80 ft | $1,000–$2,000 | $1,200–$2,500+ |
Angi puts the national average around $750, and HomeGuide lists an $850 average. A wide crown over a roof, poor backyard access, or nearby wires can push a quote higher. Add-ons often priced separately include stump removal (Angi: around $100–$150 per stump), cleanup and haul-off (about $70–$95), and a permit where required (around $60–$150). More: tree removal cost by tree size and tree removal cost in Sacramento.
With a mulberry, what happens below ground matters as much as the cut itself. The UC Cooperative Extension fact sheet notes that mulberries often rejuvenate themselves from dormant buds near the base of old trees, so a stump left in place may sprout. Ask each bidder how deep they'll grind, whether they'll grind out the major surface roots running toward the lawn or driveway, and what they recommend for sprouts that appear afterward. Stump grinding requires an 811 ticket before digging. See stump grinding cost.
Tree removal and most pruning of trees 15 feet or taller generally requires a CSLB license under Business and Professions Code § 7026.1 (C-49 Tree and Palm Contractor). Get two or three written quotes that list removal, stump and root grinding, haul-off, and cleanup. In spring and summer, ask the crew to check for active nests first (Fish and Game Code § 3503). See how to hire a tree service and how to prepare for removal day. If you're replanting, the Sacramento Tree Foundation offers free siting consultations and up to 10 free shade trees to eligible properties through its SMUD partnership (Sacramento Tree Foundation – Growing a resilient urban forest). Other species guides: sweetgum, ash, and elm.
Usually only if it's very large or a public tree. Mulberry isn't a native protected species, so in the City of Sacramento a mulberry on a single-family or duplex lot is a private protected tree only at 32 inches or more in diameter at 4.5 feet (24 inches on undeveloped land or other property types). Park-strip trees are City trees and need a permit at any size. Other cities' rules differ.
UC IPM says mulberry roots are shallow and grow extensively near the soil surface around the trunk, and recommends planting away from pavement and buildings. A UC Cooperative Extension fact sheet says the heavy surface roots can lift and crack concrete and recommends planting at least 6 feet from walkways, driveways, and foundations. Whether roots actually threaten your foundation or sewer line is a site-specific question for an arborist or plumber.
Often, yes. Many Sacramento mulberries are pollarded — cut back every year or two to the same knobs. Ask Extension notes that the sprouts from those knobs are weakly attached and can become heavy enough to be a hazard within a few years, so a pollarded tree has to stay on a regular schedule. If a pollard has been neglected, an ISA Certified Arborist can tell you whether it can be brought back or whether removal is the safer choice.
It can. The UC Cooperative Extension fact sheet notes that mulberries are long lived and often rejuvenate themselves from dormant buds near the base of old trees. Grinding the stump and the major surface roots, and cutting off any sprouts that appear afterward, is the usual way to keep it from coming back.
We didn't find a reliable published price specific to mulberries, so height is the best guide. National published ranges (Angi and HomeGuide) run about $150–$500 under 30 feet and $450–$1,500 for 30–60 feet. Stump grinding, haul-off, and any permit are often extra.
We don't do tree work ourselves. Tell us about your tree and we'll connect you with independent local tree professionals so you can compare written quotes. Always verify the contractor's license and insurance at cslb.ca.gov.
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More guides: Stump grinding cost · Emergency/storm removal · Tree trimming cost · Palm tree removal · Tree permits · Tree fell on house: insurance · Neighbor & boundary trees · Oak tree removal · Dead/hazardous trees · Trees near power lines · Roots, sewers & foundations · Elk Grove permits · Roseville permits · Folsom permits · Citrus Heights permits · Rancho Cordova permits · Sacramento County permits · Davis permits · West Sacramento permits · Hiring a tree service · After a storm · Pine tree removal · When to trim · Defensible space · Landlords, tenants & HOAs · Trees & solar panels · Remove or trim? · Preparing for removal day · Eucalyptus removal · Crane removal cost · Tree removal in an HOA · Arborist reports for permits · Street trees: who's responsible · Sycamore removal · Sweetgum removal · Ash tree removal · Elm tree removal · Fruitless mulberry removal · Leaning trees · Removal cost by tree size