Mulberry
A deep reddish-purple named after the colour of mulberry jam or pie
Mulberry is a dark purplish-red shade, taking its name from the cooked fruit of the mulberry tree. The colour is darker than the fresh berries themselves and is close to shades like burgundy and maroon. It has appeared in crayons and coloured pencils, and the name has been used since the 18th century.
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- Named after the colour of mulberry jam or pie
- Similar to burgundy, claret, and maroon
- Used in Crayola crayons from 1958 to 2003
- Appeared as a Prismacolor pencil shade
- Sometimes means a lighter red in Latin America
What colour is Mulberry?
Mulberry is a dark, rich colour that falls between red and purple. It is inspired by the look of mulberry jam or pie, which is deeper in tone than the fresh fruit. The shade sits close to burgundy, claret and maroon, with all of them sharing similar deep, reddish hues. In some places, especially in Latin America, mulberry may refer to a lighter, more raspberry-like red.
Where does Mulberry come from?
The name comes from the mulberry tree, Morus, whose fruit is used in jams and pies. The colour term was adopted in English in the 1700s, based on the appearance of cooked mulberries rather than the fresh berries. Over time, the word has been used for a range of dark red-purple shades.
How Mulberry is defined
Mulberry as a colour is defined by its appearance rather than a specific pigment or dye. In digital design, it is often represented by the hex code #572364, though other versions exist, such as the shade used in Crayola crayons. There is no single recipe for producing mulberry in art or manufacturing.
Where Mulberry is used
This colour has appeared in art supplies like crayons and coloured pencils, including a Crayola crayon and a Prismacolor pencil. It has also been used for car finishes, such as a 1979 model by General Motors Holden. Mulberry is chosen for its deep, appealing look in both digital and physical design.
Purple around the world
What the purple and violet family means from country to country.
In Holy Week, members of religious brotherhoods walk in procession in robes and pointed hoods, many of them purple, the colour of penance. A purple band also marked the flag of the Second Republic.
Sacred and holyPolitics and protestSource: Holy Week in SpainSuffragettes campaigning for women's votes wore purple, white and green: purple for dignity, white for purity and green for hope.
Politics and protestCourageSource: SuffragetteA child born to a reigning Byzantine emperor was called porphyrogennetos, born in the purple. The birth took place in a palace room lined with purple stone.
Royalty and powerAweSource: Born in the purpleIn the elections of 2005, voters dipped a finger in purple ink to prevent double voting. The stained finger, held up for cameras, became a sign of the vote.
Politics and protestPrideSource: Election inkPurple dye from the murasaki plant was costly and hard to make. In the court rank system set up under Prince Shotoku, the highest officials wore purple caps.
Royalty and powerAweSource: Twelve Level Cap and Rank SystemThe Phoenician cities of Tyre and Sidon made Tyrian purple from sea snails. The dye was so costly that it became the colour of kings and Roman emperors.
Royalty and powerAweSource: Tyrian purpleShades and relatives of Mulberry
Mulberry is closely related to other deep red-purple shades, such as burgundy, claret, and maroon. These colours often overlap and may be used interchangeably. In some regions, especially in Latin America, mulberry can describe a lighter, more raspberry-toned red.
Colours that go with Mulberry
Harmonies are worked out from the value #572364. Contrast ratios follow the WCAG 2 formula.
Questions people ask about Mulberry
What colour is mulberry?
Mulberry is a dark shade between red and purple, inspired by the colour of mulberry jam or pie. It is deeper than the fresh fruit and is similar to burgundy and maroon.
Where does the name mulberry come from?
The name comes from the mulberry tree, Morus, whose fruit is used in jams and pies. The colour is based on the cooked fruit's appearance.
How is mulberry used?
Mulberry has been used for art supplies like crayons and pencils, and has also been chosen for car finishes and digital design.
Is mulberry the same as burgundy or maroon?
Mulberry is very close to burgundy, claret, and maroon, and these shades often overlap. The exact tone can vary depending on context.
Does mulberry always mean the same colour everywhere?
No, in some parts of Latin America, mulberry may refer to a lighter, more raspberry-like red rather than the darker shade known elsewhere.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Mulberry (color)", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Rang rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. The swatch is an approximation: named colours are not fixed standards, and every screen shows them a little differently. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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