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Illinois Everbearing Mulberry (Morus spp.)

Illinois Everbearing Mulberry (Morus spp.)

$30.00 CAD
$30.00 CAD
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Cultivar

Why We Grow It

White Mulberries are a valuable addition to food forests and silvopasture systems, providing high yields of nutritious fruit for humans and livestock as well as highly palatable leaves making them a candidate for "tree hay". Their continuous fruiting reduces competition with wildlife, allowing shared harvests. The trees’ ability to grow in poor soils and resist drought makes them a reliable choice for challenging environments. In permaculture designs, they support biodiversity by creating habitat, improving soil health, and offering shade to understory plants.

How the Plant Grows

White Mulberries grow rapidly, developing a rounded crown and extensive root systems that stabilize soil and enhance water retention. In spring, they produce small, greenish flowers, which are wind-pollinated and develop into clusters of fruit. The trees continuously ripen their berries throughout summer, ensuring a prolonged harvest period. They require minimal pruning and are resilient to pests and diseases, making them low-maintenance

Plant Size

Size at Maturity- Sub-Canopy. Grows to 30-50 feet tall with a similar spread

Current Size- -XL 3'+, 2 year old seedling
-Large 2'-3', 2 year old seedling
-Medium 1'-2', 2 year old seedling

Additional Info

White Mulberries have been cultivated for thousands of years, originally in China for silkworm production, as the leaves are their primary food source. Over time, the trees have spread globally due to their adaptability and valuable fruit. The berries are rich in vitamins C and K, iron, and antioxidants, making them a nutritious addition to the diet. They can be eaten fresh, dried, or processed into jams, syrups, or wines. White Mulberries are also vital for wildlife, providing food for birds and small mammals, while their fast growth and dense foliage make them an excellent windbreak or shade provider in agroforestry systems.

Mulberries are versatile and highly productive trees that offer a continuous bounty of fruit throughout the summer. Their sweet, juicy berries—ranging in color from red to black despite the name—are a treat for humans and a favorite forage crop for livestock such as chickens and pigs. With their rapid growth, adaptability, and nutritious fruit, White Mulberries are an excellent choice for silvopasture systems, food forests, and permaculture designs. The trees serve both ecological and practical functions, making them a cornerstone for integrated landscapes.

llinois Everbearing

Illinois Everbearing is a hardy, fast-growing mulberry prized for its long, sweet, blackberry-like fruit and exceptionally long harvest window. Originally selected in the Midwest, it thrives in northern climates and produces reliably even in challenging seasons. Unlike seedling mulberries, it is true to type, ensuring consistent fruit quality, controlled tree size, and predictable productivity. These cutting-grown plants also fruit much sooner than seedlings, often bearing within a couple of seasons. With excellent disease resistance, vigorous growth, and heavy yields, Illinois Everbearing is one of the most dependable mulberry cultivars for cold-climate growers.

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Plant Highlights

  • Water

    Moderate water needs; drought-tolerant once established but benefits from consistent moisture during establishment and fruiting.

  • Pollination

    Mulberries are typically parthenocarpic meaning they can produce fruit without pollination. Sometimes trees are dioecious meaning there are distinct males that bear no fruit and females that do without the need for pollination. Though often enough trees can become dioecious meaning they have both male and female sexes on the same tree. Best to plant a few to make sure you get a fruiting tree.

  • Soil

    Prefers well-drained loamy soils, but is adaptable to a variety of soil types, including poor or compacted soils.

  • Years to Bear

    Produces fruit within 3-5 years of planting

  • Hardiness

    Zone 4, tolerating temperatures as low as -34°C

  • Solar

    Grows in full sun to partial shade, with full sun yielding the best fruit production.