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Mulberries are a much underused fruit in North America. They have a long history around the world and are the basis of a great industry in China. North American native Mulberries, Morus rubrum, were long used as a food by Native Americans. The trees themselves are pioneer trees that fill in gaps and edges in the forests. When you find a tree large enough to cut for timber, which is rare, the wood is a golden color when cut. That gold mellows to a rich brown. The wood is easy to work and very rot resistant. It is sought out as a timber by boatbuilders.

The most common use around the world for Mulberries is as a food. The leaves are edible. The berries from some trees are large and delicious. Ordinary trees have smaller fruit. There are many species of Mulberry around the world. Some are tropical and can take no freezes. Others are well adapted to cooler climates as far north as zone 4. Mulberries are common in markets in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and much of Asia. Fruit size can vary from 1/4″ to over 2″ in length with 1″+being a nice sized Mulberry.

Flavor can vary from bland to very sweet to sweet/tart depending on variety. Though there are some dwarf varieties, Mulberry trees are fast growers and can get quite large very quickly. They are very “rooty” and can break driveways, sidewalks and foundations, if planted too close. Mulberries can be considered a “messy” tree. They drop a lot of black fruit and can attract a lot of birds. This is very much, a right tree right place situation.

Mulberry history in the U.S. is rather complicated. Most of our European ancestors did not come from cultures with a Mulberry food tradition. Our native Mulberry, Morus rubrum, did not help that tradition to grow because most of our trees dumped their fruit in a very narrow window. It was the effort to cultivate a silk industry in the U.S. to compete with the Silk Trade from China that changed many things for the Mulberry. It seems Silkworms are not fond of our native Mulberry. So the White Mulberry, Morus alba, was imported to feed the Silkworms. History tells us that the Silkworm Industry was a failure but the White Mulberry remained.

This is where Mulberries in America began to change. You see, Mulberry trees are promiscuous. They are wind pollinated and any old Mulberry pollen will do. Consequently Morus Alba pollinated Morus rubrum and vice versa until there are very few pure Morus rubrum left in the U.S.

One side benefit to all this promiscuity was the emergence of an “Everbearing Mulberry”. Everbearing refers to a long 6 to 8 week fruiting and ripening period for the fruit. This characteristic was probably existent in both species of Mulberry, but it seems to express itself more commonly in hybrids.

Below you will find a few of the many named varieties of Mulberry that are adapted to the U.S. Hardiness listed here is a rough guidline. Trees grown at the edges of their hardiness range may be injured by extremes of both cold and heat.

Corral- A seedling Mulberry from Christian County KY. It is similar in size to Illinois Everbearing. It is comparable also in productivity and flavor. Good disease resistance. Hardy at least to zone 6 Black fruit. Shop now Corral Mulberry

Dwarf Everbearing Mulberry- Maxing out at about 15′ tall with no reduction in productivity means this trees tasty fruit will fit where larger varieties will not. Hardy in zones 7 to 10 Fruit color, black. Zones 6 to 8. Shop now Dwarf Everbearing Mulberry

Gerardi Dwarf Everbearing Mulberry- Is supposed to be a hybrid between Morus Nigra var “Chelsea” and Morus Macroura var “Himalayan Long” made by Louis Gerardi. Very good quality large black fruit. Zones 5 to 8. Does not like heat. Shop now Gerardi Dwarf Everbearing Mulberry

GH-1 – Greenhouse-1 From Cliff England. This is a chance seedling from among the several excellent varities he has growing nearby. Shop now GH-1 Mulberry

Grovers Best- From Carrolton Mississippi. 1″ berries ripen over several weeks. Good Flavor. Shop now Grovers Best Mulberry

Honeydrops- This is a dwarf sized White Mulberry Tree that produces large tasty Lavender colored berries that are non staining. The original tree was found near Louisville KY . Hardy in zones 5 to 8. Shop Now Honeydrops Mulberry

Illinois Everbearing- This is the best known Everbearing Mulberry. Large fruit and good flavor. Zones 4 to 8. Shop now Illinois Everbearing Mulberry

Kegoeh-

Kip Parker- Found by Weston Lombard in Northern Ohio. Good grower. Seems to be full Morus rubra. Shop now Kip Parker Mulberry

Kokuso-Pure Morus alba from Korea. 2″ black seedless fruit that ripen from July to September. Zones 5 to 9. Shop now Kokuso Mulberry

Lawson Dawson- From Christian County KY. Rubra X Alba. Heavy bearing with good flavor. Ripens over 6 weeks+. Has done well in New Jersey and Vermont zone 4. Shop now Lawson Dawson Mulberry

Miss Kim- From Cliff England in Eastern KY. This is a large fruited very tasy Mulberry. Black Fruit Hardy in zones 6 to 10? Shop now Miss Kim Mulberry

Northup- Cold hardy from Upstate New York. Medium sized berries with good flavor. Zones 4 to 8. Shop now Northup Mulberry

Orlinda- Rubra X Alba. An old tree in Orlinda, Tennessee. Very heavy bearing, good disease resistance, great flavor. Ripens over 6 to 8 weeks. Shop now Orlinda Mulberry

Oscar- Found by Oscar Clark. RubraXalba. 1″ fruit can be eaten red or black. Very flavorful. Self fertile. Zones 6 to 8. Shop now Oscar Mulberry

Rupp’s Romanian- 1 1/2″ fruit similar to Illinois Everbearing but plumper. Zones 6 to 9. Sold out

Silk Hope- Found in Silk Hope, North Carolina by A.J. Bullard. Long fruit that ripens over a two month period. Great flavor and good disease resistance in the humid south. Zones 5 to 9. Shop now Silk Hope Mulberry

Stearns- From Ted Danekii in New Jersey. Long berry at 1 1/2″ to 2″ long. Good flavor. Rubra X Alba. Shop now Stearns Mulberry

Wellington- Discovered by Richard Wellinton in Geneva, New York. 1 1/4″ black fruit Zone 5 to 9. Shop now Wellington Mulberry