Thank you for that input. Yes I ordered all three. Sounds like I might get two that aren’t and two that are M. Nigra. That’s good enough for me. Will be interesting to see how the fruit and growth habit varies.
I would so much like to know where the origin of the ‘Dwarf Everbearing’ Mulberry cultivar(?) occurred and who originally started calling it Morus nigra. I have attempted to place it in a couple different species categories, but there is so little information available (on the web) of the more obscure species of mulberry (It appears that ARS-GRIN won’t touch it). Its berry does generally attach close to the stem like nigra’s, but after that WTF.
could be a seedling someone discovered somewhere in usa, or a legally(or illegally) trafficked budwood from the old world. Mulb stems last a long time in the fridge, so a covert trans-atlantic flight is not impossible.
also beginning to think some of the unnamed and obscure jujus have obtained from aficionados(online) and local chinatown have been introduced this way… but transported across the pacific instead of atlantis.
yeah, the quality is far behind nigras, for sure. Only reason still keeping it is because it is way early compared to nigras, so some mediocre berries are still a little better than no berries.
it does seem to get a bit more tart and flavorful when underwatered.
just noticed that burntridge recently posted a new entry as ‘black beauty’ on the second page, and being offered as ‘large-grafted’. Mulberry Trees for Sale | Burnt Ridge Nursery | Buy Mulberry Trees | Mulberry Bush
the black beauty they offered years ago was posted with the picture now on their entry for ‘dwarf black mulberry’ on the first page Mulberry Trees for Sale | Burnt Ridge Nursery | Buy Mulberry Trees | Mulberry Bush , which is offered as a potted plant.
that picture depicts a true nigra, so hopefully the specimen you receive is a bit more fig-like in growth habit, instead of a slender one. The only thing worried about is that it mentions it as potted, but not grafted, whereas the black beauty is offered as grafted. True nigras on their own roots are quite unheard of.
Charlotte Russe, an interesting dwarf from England.
http://www.suttons.co.uk/Gardening/Fruit/Soft+Fruit/All+Soft+Fruit/Mulberry+Charlotte+Russe+1+9Cm+Suttons+Only_261638.htm
This should qualify as “Dwarf mulberry not really a dwarf?” My 24 inch dwarf with fruit.
OK maybe someday it will be 30ft but now it’s a nice little IE mulberry producing fruit.
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always nice to see that the tree(slated to be a giant), is already bearing fruit as a 2-footer and in that potted condition 
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It started as a cutting taken in July two years ago. Last yr it was in a gallon pot and ignored. Perhaps the stress caused it to develop fruit buds. I don’t need it as a full size tree so I’ll keep it potted and see what happens.
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how are your "Niger’s doing?
I’m getting a few fruits. Maybe 2-3 per day. Some are excellent. They are good fruits but I’m not sure it’s worth the effort.
I have to Logee’s Dward Everbearing and no fruits yet. I was wondering if it was one of the good ones?
I have a dwarf everbearing mulberry that I got from Burgess a few years ago. It gows very fast but the fruit size is smaller than my pinky fingernail. I’d say about the size of a #2 pencil eraser. Not really worth the trouble and I’m constantly having to prune it. I’m going to get rid of it. I bought a “giant” black mulberry from Bob Wells nursery this year, the leaves are huge and it’s growing fast. I hope the fruits next year are giant and sweet like the salesperson told me they would be.
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Sounds like the same cultivars I got from logees. Did you keep yours?. It’s more of a patio plant then a yard item.
Black Beauty from Shamus O’ Leary’s Tropicals in Phoenix growing in Tucson. So far has out of 1.5 feet of growth since it broke dormancy this year.
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Noir De Spain from Whitman farms growing in Tucson. I just received it two weeks ago and already putting off new growth.
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I’m so jealous!!! Enjoy and cherish your beautiful trees!!!
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That is a very nice and healthy looking nigra!
I just read all previous comments and how this thread got started… I’m a professional mulberry grower/breeder and I would like to give you all some very easy clues to identify a true Morus nigra.
Morus nigra:
- the adult leaves are always heart shaped, leaves on young vigorously growing shoots or juvenile trees will be handshaped.
- the leaves are thick and feel solid and they are roughly hairy on both upper and underside.
- the veins on the underside of the leaves are very thick and prominent.
- the scales on well seasoned winter buds are almost black!!! The dark brown/black color of these winter buds is actually where the species got its name from (not the color of the fruit).
- perhaps the surest to identify is the very short fruit stalk. The short fruit stalk is still visible when the berries are still small and green but once they ripen the fruit stalk is completey hidden by the swelling of the fruit.
- Morus nigra can take many years to fruit. Plants from in vitro culture even more than 10 years…
- the berries are always black when ripe.
- Morus nigra grows slowly, especially the first years after planting.
Morus alba:
Can have white/lavender/black fruit
Adult leaves are light green and can be heart shaped or handshaped.
Upper leaf side is usually glossy, underside can be slightly hairy.
Will fruit at a very young age.
Grows very fast.
The fruit always has a long stalk.
The winter buds are pale brown and sometimes with a
white bloom.
Morus rubra:
The adult leaves are dark dull green and slightly hairy on both sides. The leaves have a long prominent leaf tip. The adult leaves are usually heart shaped but can also sometimes be handshaped.
The berries are always black and have a long fruit stalk.
Unlike the fruit of Morus alba, the berries of Morus rubra have quite some acidity.
Budding time:
Morus alba will leaf out first, then Morus rubra and finally Morus nigra. Normally Morus nigra is the only species that will escape late spring frost because it is so late budding.
I hope these clues will help you all to identify your tree. There are more clues but these are the essential ones…
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This is 2 months of growth since the last photo. Seems to really like the 108 degree temps we have been getting here.
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looks like your tree is really liking that cosy spot! nice growth and very healthy looking specimen!
Check that some of the new growth is not from the rootstock. Suckers from a Morus alba seedling rootstock can grow very fast and overrun the Morus nigra grafted on the top.