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Morus species - .

Mulberry

Author	.	Botanical references
Family	Moraceae	Genus	Morus
Synonyms
Known Hazards	None known
Range	A hybrid of garden origin, M. alba x M. rubra..
Habitat	Not known in the wild.
Edibility Rating	4 (1-5)	Medicinal Rating	0 (1-5)

Physical Characteristics

A decidious Tree growing to 10m at a medium rate.

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Habitats

Woodland Garden; Canopy; Secondary;

Cultivars: (as above except)
'Hybrid Black' not Canopy; Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade;
'Illinois Everbearing' not Canopy; Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Fruit.

Fruit - raw. A very sweet flavour, it is considered to be one of the best mulberries. The fruit ripens over a long period. The fruit is large, individual fruits can weigh 350 grams, and very long.

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

None known

Other Uses

None known

Cultivation details

Prefers a warm well-drained loamy soil in a sunny position[1, 11]. This cultivar, a cross between the red and the white mulberry, is a very hardy and productive clone. Its young grafts are very vigorous. Mulberries have brittle roots and so need to be handled with care when planting them out[238]. Any pruning should only be carried out in the winter when the plant is fully dormant because mulberries bleed badly when cut[238]. Ideally prune only badly placed branches and dead wood[238]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[200].

Propagation

The seed germinates best if it is given 2 - 3 months cold stratification[80, 98]. Sow February in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. This is a hybrid and will not breed true to type. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 7 - 10cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Plant out in spring. A good percentage take, though they sometimes fail to thrive[78, 113]. Cuttings of mature wood of the current season's growth, 25 - 30cm with a heel of 2 year old wood, autumn or early spring in a cold frame or a shady bed outside[78, 113,200]. Bury the cuttings to threequarters of their depth. Layering in autumn[200].

Cultivars

'Hybrid Black'

The large, slightly curved black fruit is up to 4cm long and 12mm in diameter[183]. The flavour is sweet, the quality good to excellent[183]. A compact, shrub-like tree, it bears heavy crops[183].

'Illinois Everbearing'

This cultivar, a cross between the red and the white mulberry, is a very hardy and productive clone. Its young grafts are very vigorous[183]. The black fruit is large and very long, averaging over 2 grammes each, it is nearly seedless with a very sweet flavour and good to very good quality[183]. It matures over a long season[183].

Links

References

[1] F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951
Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).

[11] Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981
A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.

[78] Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948
A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.

[80] McMillan-Browse. P. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. Grower Books 1985 ISBN 0-901361-21-6
Does not deal with many species but it is very comprehensive on those that it does cover. Not for casual reading.

[98] Gordon. A. G. and Rowe. D. C. f. Seed Manual for Ornamental Trees and Shrubs. 0
Very comprehensive guide to growing trees and shrubs from seed. Not for the casual reader.

[113] Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987 ISBN 0942375009
A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.

[183] Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.

[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.

Readers Comments

Plants for a Future does not verify the accuracy of reader comments, use at your own risk. In particular Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. You should always consult a professional before using plants medicinally.

Morus species

Jay Cutts Wed May 12 16:12:00 2004

I'm in New Mexico at 7000 ft and have had trouble with Illinois Everbearing being killed back in the winter. I have a variety called Northrup that is doing slightly better. We are technically zone 5 but often lose things rated for Zone 3 or even colder!

Morus species

Patty Faussett Mon Jun 26 2006

I am in the Utah mountains at nearly 10,000 feet. Will mulberries survive at this elevation? I was interested in the Illinois Everbearing, so Jay, your comment about your tree being killed back in the winter is valuable. Thanks. If anyone knows if mulberry trees can produce at my elevation, a reply would be really appreciated. glory2glory@yahoo.com

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