Some of us like mulberry trees and some of us can't stand them, but it really depends on what type you've got - native or invasive alien. Could you post a picture of the tree, including a close-up of the leaves?

I've been here two years and there is nothing to show that it is invasive. No sprouts, no runners, no suckers from the base.

This post was edited by lucille on Sat, Jun 15, 13 at 20:59

I did some reading and do not want one of those invasive trees. I took some pictures, please tell me what kind of mulberry I have:

And here is a leaf picture:

I've been checking out discussions on various sites and it seems as if it is difficult to distinguish the different kinds of mulberries. I certainly don't want to cut down a tree that gave me a bunch of delicious mulberries, but do not want an invasive plant.

Are the leaf-tops fuzzy/scratchy? If so, could be a hybrid red X white mulberry. Otherwise I'd guess the invasive white.

The leaf tops are fuzzy, you can't see the fuzz but you can feel something. However I thought I read that the desirable red mulberry has fuzzy undersides?

lucille, you're right. So it may be the hybrid -- invasive white mulberries are so common that pure red mulberries are getting rare. That said, the hybrid is prb'ly more desirable than white & usually produces a tastier mulberry than white.

I looked at red mulberry's native range & it does extend into Houston.

Is there any way to predict the size of a hybrid tree like this, if that is what it is?

Pretty big, eventually. But no bigger than most other common trees. Mulberries typically spread out a fair bit without competition. Guessing 30' wide & tall after 15-20 yrs.

In fact, the visible trees on the other side of the road in your first pic look similar to how it would grow after 30 yrs or so.

This post was edited by beng on Tue, Jun 18, 13 at 11:15

Oh, and below is what I'm sure is a red-white hybrid -- there was a pure red nearby. Leaves were fuzzy on top & look similar to yours:

Thank you Beng for the info and the picture. I think I feel better about keeping it. I'm glad to hear it will get bigger since I want it to help the other trees on my property shade sun off my house. It looks like it will spread its branches over the neighbor's yard but from what I have read he can trim them back to the property line if he wants to, I don't have to do it.

Looks like a probable hybrid to me, as well - but might be a pure M.rubra. Especially among the hybrids, there's quite a bit of variation, with regard to which parental traits are expressed.
I've got one local selection that I'd been propagating as a rubra - but a guy in LA who's doing some breeding & selection with mulberries says it's a hybrid. Good berries, nonetheless.
One disappointment, however, is that M.alba and the hybrids are susceptible to 'popcorn disease', which some years may virtually render all the berries inedible.

Here is a link that might be useful: Popcorn Disease of Mulberries

That is an ugly disease. It looks like not all of the individual fruit is ruined so at least the birds and the (sigh) squirrels will be fed if the tree gets this disease.
I want a nice pie next year so I hope my tree won't get the disease, is there anything I can do to ward it off?