Magic Mulberry

King of Fruits - The Mighty Mulberry
The selected, grafted mulberry is one of my all-time favorite fruits.
Chances are you may have only sampled wild bird-sown varieties which, while sweet and abundant, strike little resemblance to coveted ‘Black Persian’ or “Shangri La’ varieties that are as exotic in flavor as their names.
The mulberry fruit resembles a plump blackberry and comes in a range of colors; white, red, lavender, dark purple, and black. Their flavors range from insipidly sweet to cloyingly tart.
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The Berry Tree
The mulberry tree has a wide growing range covering most of the U.S., growing an average of 35 feet tall, although easily maintained at 15 feet. Mulberries also have a wide range and adaptability for adverse soil conditions, including thin, gravely soil, rocky slopes, dry, wet or alkaline soils, and other difficult areas. They also tolerate salt spray and produce fruit reliably in exposed areas and frost pockets, making them a very easy and successful tree to grow-proved by their weedy nature in the most inhospitable places.
But one of the most amazing features of the
mulberry is its ability to fruit in considerable shade as an edge species under larger trees. The only place mulberries aren’t suited is near drives, walkways, or porches where fallen fruits will stain and track indoors.
The mulberry's diversity of range is owed to there being three species; red, white, and black (rubra, alba, and nigra). The red and white species are the ones most familiar in the north and grow just about anywhere within their range (to -20°F). But the black beauty from western Asia and more moderate climes (to 0°F) is less hardy. The black species tops out at 30 feet but often grows no taller than a bush and can live up to 300 years.
Some Favs
Illinois Everbearing - White x Red hybrid - a fantastic selection that is very productive and hardy (-30 F). Black, sweet, almost seedless fruits 1 ½ inch long that bear from June through early fall. Good choice for northern climates, zones 4-9
Wellington - White x Red hybrid - A heavy cropper with sweet black fruits that bear over an extended period, another good northern variety, zones 5-9.
Black Persian - Black - The Persian mulberry is a large purple/black berry that is excellent for fresh eating and making wine. Tends to grow as a bush. Zones 9-11, possibly to zone 7 once mature if protected when young and most frost sensitive.
Kokuso Korean - hybrid species - is a fast growing mulberry from Korea that produces large 2 inch, high quality, firm fruits. Very hardy, zones 5-9. Fast producer from planting.
Best way to harvest mulberries is to lay a large sheet or tarp under the tree and shake the fruit loose - easiest pickin’ you’ve ever done. Mulberries are also very tasty dried and great in a trail mix. If you have chickens, place part of the tree to hang over the coop and they’ll be in heaven.
Plant em Up!