Description
One of the most bred and cultivated trees of all time, why this tree is relatively unknown to most Americans today is a mystery to me. Let’s change that!
This tree grows delicious fruit with ease. The amount of fruit on one tree can be staggering. The fruit ripens in early summer, and it is a great treat for all ages to pick right from the tree! Any fruit you don’t collect will be eaten by birds, who will help spread the seeds far and wide. Once you learn to identify mulberries, you will start seeing them everywhere that birds land.
It grows fairly quickly, and does well in shadier places. Even does well under black walnut! This tree is also great fodder for animals as the leaves are very high in protein.
Mulberries Available This Season:
Seedling Mulberries – Our seedling trees come from great genetics that produce lots of nice fruit. Seedlings can be male or female however, so I recommend planting three trees if possible to increase the chance of a getting a female. A lone female will produce fruit but the seeds won’t be viable.
These will also be suitable for grafting improved varieties on later if you so desire! Bark grafting is a relatively easy grafting technique you can use to turn male trees into females with delicious fruit!
Illinois Everbearing – this is a classic mulberry variety, with large delicious fruit which lasts on the tree for quite a long time. Considered the gold standard for mulberries. Will produce fruit without a pollinating partner, however will not produce viable seed unless cross-pollinated. ***ORDERS WITH ILLINOIS EVERBEARING INCLUDED WILL SHIP IN SPRING. THIS IS TO PROTECT THESE MORE TENDER ONE YEAR OLD GRAFTS***
Growth Parameters:
Mature trees can be quite large (see images for the largest male tree Ive ever seen). However the mature size of individual seedlings is variable. Size can also be controlled by coppicing and pollarding. Personally, Id recommend cutting the tree to the ground to generate multiple stems, then make a pruning rotation where there are stems of multiple ages around the tree (now more of a bush!)
Adaptable to shady places, but best growth and fruit production will be in the sun. Doesn’t seems to be picky about soil texture.
