mulberry

[leopard777]

i read this article about mulberry ,
(Few gardeners realise that mulberries may be male, fema
le or bisexual. Commercial varieties
or those purchased from a nursery are bisexual or self pollinating, so only one tree is required
for good fruit production. If you have a tree that has grown from seed, it may occasionally turn
out to be male or female.
If it is female and there is a source of pollen available from other
nearby trees, your tree will set fruit. If your tree turns out to be male, you will never harvest
any fruit.
Male trees produce copious flowers that resemble tiny green fruit. It is ea
sy to be fooled into
thinking these flowers will ripen. Bees love male mulberry flowers, so always be suspicious of
any tree that is completely covered in bees when it flowers. When their pollen is spent, the
male flowers soon drop off and the tree develop
s its lush spring foliage canopy )

is this true ? there are male and female trees ?

 

[Prairie Mom]

I'm only just starting my first mulberries from saplings that were gifted to me here on the forum. So, I'm not a mulberry expert, but everything you described sounds perfectly accurate to me. There are many trees, vines, and plants that are male or female, require pollinators etc. I've also come across advertisements for fruitless mulberries, which I would assume is because they are a male variety. If you're eager for the tasty healthy fruit too, just be sure you're getting a self-pollinating variety.

 

[leopard777]

sure i am eager , i never tasted mulberry before ,two of mine cutting just rooted and came alive , any tips and tricks for it to strive ?

 

[Prairie Mom]

I want to taste Mulberry too!!!! I'm even curious about the differences between white and black berries etc. And unfortunately you're talking to a Mulberry-newbie. I got my seedlings from @lismar79 and @Jacqui grows a bunch of them as well. We were talking about the nutritional value of mulberry leaves a while ago and it turned into kind of a nifty thread...http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread...grape-and-mulberry-leaves.103122/#post-960459 people talked about growing them a bit too. It sounds like they're really hardy and can even survive in pots for decades. I'm growing seedlings and have no idea if mine will bear fruit. I'm going to grow them anyway, because the leaves are edible for torts and EVEN PEOPLE. If mine, don't bear fruit, I'll keep them for the tortoise and buy a self-pollinating variety from an online garden nursery.

 

[leopard777]

yes , the leaves can be deep fried or brew into a tea

 

[Prairie Mom]

I've heard about the tea, but didn't think about deep frying them...interesting. Have you ever eaten the leaves?

Also, I just thought I'd mention it for fun... We started up a garden chat thread a little while ago. http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/garden-chat-photos-for-torts-and-people.104546/ I've been LOVING it. Please feel free to post on it and let us know how your mulberries or anything else you grow goes for you

 

[leopard777]

ah not yet , i might try thou , since its so nutritious , lol i am not missing out too , heck i might even try it raw , actually i just transfer the single cutting from a water bowl into pot earlier today . still a mulberry newbie too .

 

[Prairie Mom]

Good luck with yours! Hopefully mine survives too

 

[Iochroma]

Yes to the male/female/bisexual question. I would add the very important fact that Morus pollen is some of the worst for allergy sufferers, so I would never plant a male selection. There are non-fruiting non-flowering clones if one just wants leaves (raising silkworms). If one wants fruit, there are named varieties that have good fruiting qualities. I personally never let seedlings live - they are just horribly irritating for people with allergies and the pollen travels far on the wind.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I recently purchased a self pollinating dwarf tree. It is still too small to yank off many leaves. Yes. There are male and female plants. Not just mulberry. Bees, butterflies and bats do the important part.

 

[Prairie Mom]

Yes to the male/female/bisexual question. I would add the very important fact that Morus pollen is some of the worst for allergy sufferers, so I would never plant a male selection. There are non-fruiting non-flowering clones if one just wants leaves (raising silkworms). If one wants fruit, there are named varieties that have good fruiting qualities. I personally never let seedlings live - they are just horribly irritating for people with allergies and the pollen travels far on the wind.

I had no idea about the pollen and allergy sufferers. I think I may have to intentionally plant some near a particular neighbor...hmm..just kidding Thanks lochroma!

 

[Prairie Mom]

I recently purchased a self pollinating dwarf tree. It is still too small to yank off many leaves. Yes. There are male and female plants. Not just mulberry. Bees, butterflies and bats do the important part.

Oooh you got a Dwarf mulberry!? If you happened to buy it online, I'd be grateful for a link to the nursery

 

[Iochroma]

A weeping fruitless variety is 'Chaparral'.

 

[Jacqui]

I bought a couple of the weeping ones a few years back (can't recall the variety) they have survived, but barely have grown. Unlike my "normal" ones which grow too fast at times.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Oooh you got a Dwarf mulberry!? If you happened to buy it online, I'd be grateful for a link to the nursery

No, Prairie. I found it at a local nursery. It had been there so long that it blew out the bottom of the pot and had rooted deep in the ground. It looked really dead when I got it home. The fruit is black and tiny.

 

[Tom]

Just be forewarned that fruiting mulberry trees make a huge mess. Everything on your property will be covered in purple foot prints and purple bird poop. I'd never plant a fruiting one unless it was way out in a field somewhere and not near any sort of human habitation.

 

[CharlieM]

Oooh you got a Dwarf mulberry!? If you happened to buy it online, I'd be grateful for a link to the nursery

Ebay sells them from time to time.

 

[stinax182]

I have a big one in my backyard.... Didn't know it was a mulberry tree til couple years ago when it sprouted fruit! @Tom is right though, the mess is bad. Ours is over rocks and every animal loves the berries. They're very good but stain everything! I made the mistake of walking around barefoot!

 

[leigti]

I bought a dwarf fruitless mulberry tree from a site that I think was called, coastal silkworms. something like that, sorry I can't remember the exact name. now if my tortoise would just figure out that she is supposed to eat the leaves I'd have it made

 

[Jacqui]

I don't notice the stains every where so much, but what I don't really like is all the fruit dropped under the tree. I do however love all the birds it attracts, which gives me hours upon hours of enjoyment and entertainment.