Black Mulberry M. nigra
Once upon a time someone in the 1600's decided to start the silkworm industry in America. They brought over the mulberry tree from China. Well it turned out to be a bad deal. The silkworms never grew here but the trees certainly did! Now we can enjoy many varieties some good and some not so good. The varieties below are among the finest for our area.
Varieties we have grown
Pakistani:
From Islamabad, Pakistan. very large ruby-red fruit 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 inches long and 3/8 inch in diameter. Flesh firmer than most other named cultivars. Sweet with excellent flavor. The tree has large heart-shaped leaves. A great tree for the hot humid Southern States and can do well in areas with mild winters like southern California.
Shangri-La: Originated in Naples, Florida and grows very nicely. This variety produces large, black fruit. Excellent for the Deep South and other areas. Hardy in U.S.D.A. Zones 7-9. Tree has very large, heart-shaped leaves.
Florida Ever bearing: A heavy producer that seems to never stop producing. Smaller leaves and fast growing variety with smaller fruit. Grows well in all of Florida.
Black Mulberry trees can reach 30 feet in height. Young trees need to be trained as standard trees or will develop into bushes. We offer the ever bearing variety as a bush and as a standard tree.
White and red varieties also exist and we are working on adding them to our nursery in the future.
Mulberries need full sun and plenty of space. Keep trees away from sidewalks so that fallen fruit will not stain walkways and create a mess. Mulberry trees are quite wind-resistant.
Soil: Mulberries prefer a warm, well-drained soil, preferably a deep loam. Shallow gravel or chalk soils are not recommended.
Irrigation: Even though these trees are somewhat drought-resistant, mulberries need to be watered in dry seasons. If the roots become too dry during drought, the fruit is likely to drop before it has fully ripened. When trees loose leaves in winter ease up on watering or you may kill the tree.
Fertilization: Mulberries generally thrive with minimal fertilization. An annual application of a balanced fertilizer such as 10:10:10 NPK will maintain satisfactory growth. A mineral supplement is often very beneficial in sandy soils when applied two or three times per year.
Pruning: Remove dead or overcrowded wood on a regular basis. Keep your tree small and compact. Maintain your tree about eight foot tall. Pruning is best done on wood that is thinner than two inches and when trees are dormant. Pruning during dormancy will minimize any bleeding. A mulberry tree can be kept neat and tidy. Keep the tree compact and strive to develop three to five main branch.
Varieties we have grown
Pakistani:
From Islamabad, Pakistan. very large ruby-red fruit 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 inches long and 3/8 inch in diameter. Flesh firmer than most other named cultivars. Sweet with excellent flavor. The tree has large heart-shaped leaves. A great tree for the hot humid Southern States and can do well in areas with mild winters like southern California.
Shangri-La: Originated in Naples, Florida and grows very nicely. This variety produces large, black fruit. Excellent for the Deep South and other areas. Hardy in U.S.D.A. Zones 7-9. Tree has very large, heart-shaped leaves.
Florida Ever bearing: A heavy producer that seems to never stop producing. Smaller leaves and fast growing variety with smaller fruit. Grows well in all of Florida.
Black Mulberry trees can reach 30 feet in height. Young trees need to be trained as standard trees or will develop into bushes. We offer the ever bearing variety as a bush and as a standard tree.
White and red varieties also exist and we are working on adding them to our nursery in the future.
Mulberries need full sun and plenty of space. Keep trees away from sidewalks so that fallen fruit will not stain walkways and create a mess. Mulberry trees are quite wind-resistant.
Soil: Mulberries prefer a warm, well-drained soil, preferably a deep loam. Shallow gravel or chalk soils are not recommended.
Irrigation: Even though these trees are somewhat drought-resistant, mulberries need to be watered in dry seasons. If the roots become too dry during drought, the fruit is likely to drop before it has fully ripened. When trees loose leaves in winter ease up on watering or you may kill the tree.
Fertilization: Mulberries generally thrive with minimal fertilization. An annual application of a balanced fertilizer such as 10:10:10 NPK will maintain satisfactory growth. A mineral supplement is often very beneficial in sandy soils when applied two or three times per year.
Pruning: Remove dead or overcrowded wood on a regular basis. Keep your tree small and compact. Maintain your tree about eight foot tall. Pruning is best done on wood that is thinner than two inches and when trees are dormant. Pruning during dormancy will minimize any bleeding. A mulberry tree can be kept neat and tidy. Keep the tree compact and strive to develop three to five main branch.
