Editing Morus (plant) (section)

==Toxicity and allergenicity==
All parts of the plant besides the ripe fruit can exude a milky sap (latex) which is mildly toxic if ingested, causing digestive distress and, at larger doses, hallucinations.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hampton |first1=Nan |title=Toxic effect of mulberry fruits and sap |url=https://www.wildflower.org/expert/show.php?id=4480 |website=Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center |publisher=The University of Texas at Austin |access-date=2 March 2025 |date=18 August 2009 |department=Ask Mr Smarty Plants|quote= The toxic parts are the unripe berries and the white sap from any part. The symptoms are hallucinations and stomach upset.}}</ref>{{r|diggs|schmutz}} It is also an irritant and may cause a skin rash on contact.<ref name="ncpc">{{cite magazine |title=Is White Mulberry Poisonous? |url=https://www.poison.org/articles/is-white-mulberry-poisonous |magazine=The Poison Post |publisher=National Capital Poison Center |access-date=2 March 2025 |location=Washington, DC |language=en |date=March 2024}}</ref> Unripe green fruit may cause nausea, cramps, and be [[hallucinogen]]ic.<ref>{{Cite web |title=White mulberry – ''Morus alba'' |url=http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/weedguide/singlerecord.asp?id=200 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120412062338/http://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/weedguide/singlerecord.asp?id=200 |archive-date=2012-04-12 |access-date=20 October 2012 |website=Ohio Perennial and Biennial Weed Guide |publisher=The Ohio State University}}</ref> The berries have a [[laxative]] effect; too many will cause diarrhoea.<ref>{{Cite book |title=The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants |publisher=[[Skyhorse Publishing]]; [[United States Department of the Army]] |year=2009 |isbn=978-1-60239-692-0 |location=New York |page=69 |language=en-US |oclc=277203364}}</ref>

Some North American cities have banned the planting of mulberries because of the large amounts of pollen they produce, posing a potential health hazard for some [[pollen allergy]] sufferers.<ref>{{Citation|mode=cs1 |author=((El Paso City Manager)) |publisher=City of El Paso |date=July 10, 2007 |title=Discussion: Modify title 9 (Health and safety), Chapter 9.10 (Mulberry trees) |id=(Agenda item department head's summary form)|url=https://www.elpasotexas.gov/muni_clerk/agenda/07-10-07/07100715A.pdf |access-date=21 July 2014 |archive-date=2 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100802053127/http://www.elpasotexas.gov/muni_clerk/agenda/07-10-07/07100715A.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> Only the male mulberry trees produce pollen; this lightweight pollen can be inhaled deeply into the lungs, sometimes triggering [[asthma]].<ref name="Ogren">{{Cite book |last=Ogren |first=Thomas Leo |url=https://archive.org/details/allergyfreegarde00thom |title=Allergy-Free Gardening |date=2000 |publisher=Ten Speed Press |isbn=1580081665 |location=Berkeley, California, US |url-access=registration}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Wilson |first=Charles L. |title=Tree pollen and hay fever |url=http://www.fao.org/docrep/q5240e/q5240e07.htm |access-date=17 May 2014 |publisher=[[Food and Agriculture Organization]]}}</ref> Conversely, female mulberry trees produce all-female flowers, which draw pollen and dust from the air. Because of this pollen-absorbing feature, all-female mulberry trees have an [[OPALS (Ogren Plant Allergy Scale)|OPALS allergy scale]] rating of just 1 (lowest level of allergy potential), and some consider it "allergy-free".<ref name="Ogren" />