The Mulberry Tree
I have wonderful memories of being a child growing up in Michigan in the 1970’s. Throughout my youth I lived in small towns and enjoying playing in the outdoors. It was a time when kids could roam their neighborhood and the surrounding area and not be fearful of societal dangers. I look at my girls and how they grew up in the big city and I am sad that they did not have the opportunity to enjoy the freedom I had as a child.
One memory I have was riding my bike to a nearby candy store with my friends during the summer. On the way to the store there was a Mulberry tree that was on the side of the road, probably in some one’s yard (I’m a little fuzzy on that point), that we would always stop and enjoy the lovely juicy berries! To this day, I remember that tree fondly which is why I probably am so keen on having one on our Boutique farm!
My grandparents also had a Mulberry tree on their farm, and I remember that one as well. It was located over the pig pen so you can imagine those berries were huge, given all the natural fertilizer/compost they were getting from below! The memory I have of that tree relates more to my uncle (my mom’s youngest brother) who is only a few years older than myself. It was during summer vacation when mom and I were visiting my grandparents on their farm. For whatever reason my uncle decided it would be cool to climb the tree and smear Mulberries all over his face, arms etc… before his baseball game. Unbeknown to him (or maybe he knew this and is why he decided to do it) Mulberries stain… and it takes a while for that stain to come out!
Fast forward many decades to 2023… these memories are still as vivid as ever to me and are the motivation behind me including a Mulberry tree as part of our orchard! So, with that back story in place, here is a little bit of history and background on the Mulberry tree!
Information by:
https://www.gardeningchannel.com
Everything You Need to Know About Everbearing Mulberry Trees
Everbearing mulberry trees yield abundant crops of delicious mulberries in just a few years, perfect for snacking, baking, and more. Disclaimer… learn from my uncle and do not use these delightful berries as body colorant!
Everbearing mulberry trees live up to their name, yielding a bountiful crop of juicy reddish-black berries from summer to fall. The two most popular types are the dwarf everbearing mulberry and the Illinois everbearing mulberry. The dwarf variety are compact and perfect for smaller gardens and privacy hedges, while the Illinois variety make a big statement.
The Mulberry
Mulberry fruit ripens to white, red, or black. When ripe, it falls from the tree. Birds love mulberries, so you’ll have some competition for the harvest. The fruit doesn’t ship well and isn’t produced commercially, but it makes a fine addition to the home garden.
As we learned from my youthful uncle, the mulberry fruit is very messy. Because it drops when ripe, it can stain patios, cars and other surfaces including your body if you decide to paint yourself with it! It can also be brought in the house on the bottom of your shoes. If you decide to plant mulberries, place them at the back of the garden, away from foot traffic. Plan to harvest them daily as they ripen to keep down the mess. This is sage advice that I will most definitely keep in mind when determining where to plant or tree!
Everbearing Mulberry Trees at a Glance
Self-pollinating
Juicy, reddish-black (and white) berries drop from the tree with no picking needed
Pest-resistant
Can be trained as tree or shrub
Can bear fruit in first 1-3 years
Root systems can damage utility lines
Hardiness Zones include 5-10
Thrives with six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight per day or partial shade
Soil composition – highly adaptable but prefers loamy, well drained moist soil with a PH between 5.5 – 7.0
Appearance
Everbearing mulberry trees can be trained into single-stemmed trees or grow in a rounded shape as multi-stemmed bushes. Their leathery green leaves fall in winter, and their tasty fruit is dark reddish-black, juicy, and about 1.5 inches long with a ripening season from late June to early fall. Dwarf everbearing mulberry trees grow to a maximum height of 10-15 feet tall, with a spread of 15-20 feet. Illinois everbearing mulberry trees grow to 30-35 feet tall with a 30-35 foot spread.
Hardiness Zones
The hardiness zone indicates the regions where plants can grow based on minimum winter temperatures. Everbearing mulberry trees grow in Zones 5-10—across most of the country. They can tolerate cool and hot temperatures, and they are fairly drought tolerant.
Planting
When choosing a mulberry tree, make sure you buy a species adapted to your region. White and red mulberries will live for up to 75 years, while black mulberries can live for 300 years or more. Most mulberry cultivars are self-fertile, but a few need both a male and female plant. Be sure to ask your producer. Note to self – remember to do this!
Plant the tree in an area that gets full sun. Dig a hole as deep and twice as wide as the root ball. Set the tree in the hole and fill the hole half-full of soil. Add 2 gallons of water and allow the water to drain. Continue to fill the hole completely with soil, tamping it down firmly with your foot. Once planted, water the mulberry tree at least once per week while it becomes established. Water it more in dry hot weather, so the soil stays moist 2 inches beneath the soil surface. Once established, water as often as needed to keep the soil slightly moist. If the tree sits in an irrigated lawn, you probably won’t need to supply additional water.
The best time to plant an everbearing mulberry tree is in spring or fall. Given that we will most likely move to the Western Slope sometime this summer, we will probably be planting next spring at the earliest.
Planting steps at a Glance
Choose a planting site that receives full sun to partial shade that is far away from buried utility lines or septic systems, as their fast-growing roots can cause serious damage.
Clear away any weeds, debris, or turfgrass.
Dig a hole twice the size and depth of the root ball.
Remove the root ball from its container and loosen the roots gently.
Place the root ball in the hole so that it is slightly above the level of the surrounding soil.
Backfill the hole with soil, tamping down gently as you go to make sure there are no air pockets.
Soak your everbearing mulberry tree when you are finished.
Fertilizing
Everbearing mulberry trees should not be fertilized the first year of planting. Once they are established, fertilize in early spring when new growth begins every year, using a slow-release, balanced fertilizer with an NPK value of 10-10-10.
Pruning
Mulberries produce fruit on new wood. Prune the trees in winter or early spring before new growth appears. Prune mulberries to control growth and remove dead and diseased branches. You don’t need to open the canopy as you would orchard fruits and only minimal pruning is needed.
Pruning your everbearing mulberry tree can lead to a robust branch framework. Only prune in winter when the tree is dormant. Everbearing mulberry trees are prone to “bleeding,” or leaking sap. You don’t want to prune until the tree has fully stopped sap production in winter.
Harvesting
In general, it can take up to two to three years for everbearing mulberry trees to fruit. However, some nurseries carry everbearing mulberry trees that will fruit the first year. The trees bear fruit from June until September. Everbearing mulberry fruits don’t even need to be picked— if you shake the tree lightly, they simply drop to the ground when they’re ripe. Many people leave a sheet beneath their tree during these months to collect the berries as they fall.
Unbeknown to me prior to my research, Mulberries come in a variety of colors, well okay… three colors, red, white and black, as mentioned above!
Red Mulberry
Red Mulberry trees (Morus rubrum) are native to the United States and can be found growing in shaded woodland areas and along streams and creeks. Hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 4 through 8, these trees are more finicky about their growing conditions than white mulberries. They’ll grow in full sun, but they really prefer partial shade and rich, moist soil.
White Mulberry
Native to China and Japan, the white Mulberry tree (Morus alba) has been cultivated for thousands of years there, where it is the preferred food source of silk worms. In the early 1800s, enterprising settlers brought white mulberry trees to the U.S., hoping to start a silk industry here. Unfortunately, silk production in the United States was prohibitively expensive and the venture failed.
Those white Mulberry trees and their descendants can still be found growing wild in parts of the U.S. White mulberries are hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 8. They grow in almost any soil, but prefer full sun and well-draining, rich, slightly acidic soil. Some species self-seed prolifically and the plant is invasive in mild, moist areas. I believe my friend Laurie had a white Mulberry tree on her property which she has since removed (sadly).
Black Mulberry
Black mulberry (Morus nigra) is native to Iran and grows only in the mild climates of USDA zones 7 through 10. It tolerates a bit more drought than the other mulberry species and needs full sun and warmth. This is the kind of Mulberry I want to grow (assuming they are the Everbearing kind), although I waffle between it and the red Mulberry, but am not keen on the fact that the red Mulberry is said to be finicky!
The last thing to cover before signing off is the dreaded pest….
Pest and Disease
Mulberries are fairly pest- and disease-resistant, although you might notice borers or aphids. Popcorn disease can sometimes afflict white mulberries, which causes the fruit to develop popcorn-like growths. Remove and destroy the affected fruit.
Parting Words
So there you have it… all you ever wanted to know about the Mulberry tree and my little back story on why I want to grow one in our orchard! If you’ve not yet picked up on it, everything we plan to grow on the farm has a personal story behind it as well as a reason why we want to include it. One of the many goals for our farm is that it be purposeful in what we choose to plant and grow. Because it is a Boutique farm which is a fancy name for small farm or perhaps some might consider it a glorified garden, it is not being grown for commercial purposes, but more for enjoyment and as part of our destination location. By this I mean my goal for Palisade Posh is to create a place where guests look forward to visiting, it is to be an experiential destination. The Boutique farm is a part of that experience and will provide a farm to table vibe… perhaps minus the Mulberry body painting – I think I will leave that part out!
