The Mulberry of Charlton House
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- Species
- Black Mulberry (Morus nigra)
- Age estimate
- 400 years
- Location
- Charlton House, Charlton Road, London SE7 8RE (Charlton, South East London)
- Access
- Free, open grounds of Charlton House community centre
- Getting there
- Charlton rail station, 5 min walk
Planted around 1608 as part of King James I's ill-fated plan to establish a British silk industry. He ordered mulberry trees planted across England to feed silkworms. The plan failed because he accidentally ordered black mulberries, whose leaves silkworms refuse to eat. This tree, one of the survivors of that royal blunder, is now over 400 years old. It leans and sprawls dramatically, held up by wooden supports, and still produces fruit every summer.
Opens directions in your maps app. Charlton rail station, 5 min walk
Trees nearby
- Queen Elizabeth's Oak, 800+ years (Greenwich)
- The Evelyn Mulberry, 300+ years (Deptford, East London)
- The Cheapside Plane, 250+ years (City of London)
Curious what else is standing in London? See all 10 remarkable ancient trees in London or find out what the oldest tree in London is.
Something wrong on this page, or do you have an openly licensed photo of this tree? Tell us. Corrections are checked and credited.