Mulberry
Common Name: Mulberry
Botanical Name: Morus rubra
Family: Moraceae
Type and Use: Deciduous tree with edible fruit
Location: Full sun to fairly heavy shade
Planting Dates: Spring and fall
Planting Method: Can be grown from seed or transplants. Seed can be planted outdoors immediately after harvest or in the spring after being stored in the refrigerator in winter. Can also be propagated from semi-hardwood cuttings.
Seed Emergence: 2 to 6 weeks
Harvest Time: Summer when the fruit is ripe
Height: 30-50 feet
Spread: 40-60 feet
Final Spacing: 20-30 feet
Growth Habits: Handsome tree with large glossy leaves and heavy production of delicious blackberry-like fruit. Red is the most common, but a dwarf white variety exists that tastes even better.
Culture: Very easy to grow in almost any soil. Requires moderate water and fertility.
Troubles and Solutions: Birds eat the fruit and make a mess on pavement and cars. Plant trees away from the house. Webworms are controlled by the trichogramma wasps released in the early spring.
Harvest and Storage: Collect the blackberry-like fruit when it is ripe and eat fresh or freeze for later use. Mulberries are almost black when ripe - unless they are the white variety.
Notes: The fruitless mulberry is a worthless big weed and should not be planted.
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