About
Morus nigra is a small, broad-topped deciduous tree featuring heart-shaped leaves that can reach lengths of up to 12 cm, which transition to yellow in the fall. The flowers, although not particularly noteworthy, are greenish in hue. This species produces edible fruits approximately 2 cm long, which mature to a dark purplish-red color. Several cultivated varieties have emerged from this species.
About the genus
Morus comprises deciduous trees and shrubs characterized by broadly ovate leaves that may be deeply lobed. The plants produce small, green flowers that are not particularly noticeable, which give way to fruit that is typically edible and can be white, red, or black in color.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Soil type
- Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained, Well-drained
- Aspect
- West-facing, East-facing, South-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H6
Plant details
- Plant type
- Trees, Fruit Edible
- Habit
- Bushy
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 8-12 metres
- Spread
- wider than 8 metres
- Time to full height
- 20-50 years
- Suggested uses
- Cottage and informal garden
- Native to
- SW Asia
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow in moist, humus-rich, fertile soils with shelter from cold, dry winds. Prune in late autumn or early winter to avoid bleeding. See mulberry cultivation
- Pruning
- Pruning group 1
- Propagation
- Propagate by seed sown in containers outdoors in autumn or by semi-hardwood cuttings in mid-summer
- Pest resistance
- Generally pest-free
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to mulberry leaf spot, mulberry canker, coral spot, powdery mildews and honey fungus (rarely)