that looks like the leaves on photo #2 of my trees. the lobes especially and the veins
Oscar looks more like alba-like. How smooth is the upper leaf surface? Rubras feel like sand paper. Albas are shiny and feel smooth, and hybrids are somewhere in between.
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What are some must haves for zone 5b? Ithica NY ish area.
I wanna try Lakeland Tropical as an experimental at my friends place.
But prob add IE as the staple mulberry.
Anymore to add that are recommended like Kip Parker, Lawson Dawson, Varaha, etc?
Wondering if any are redundant flavors and/or same fruiting period.
You can try “early Byrd” for a supposedly earlier ripening one but I don’t think anyone on the forum has grown it and verified the productivity and such.
i.e is hardy to my z4. is slow to grow here though. only 2 years old. my 6 yr old Riverview is just setting its 1st berries.
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how hardy is this variety? i see you are in zone 8b similar to mines. but does it have any dieback in winter? is it similar ir different to other black mulberries? thanks.
looks like you’ve got the real one. there was supposedly a mismarked ‘Shelli’ making the rounds. Not sure if mine is legit or not.
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Shelli is a Morus alba, not a black mulberry (Morus nigra). I have read that it is hardy to -30C.
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It doesn’t have any die back in the winter. It has no issues in our climate.
I’m not sure how I would rank it so far. It’s a young tree that should become better as it matures. So far it’s exactly what I’m looking for in a mulberry. Early, heavy producer, large fruit with excellent taste.
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Yeah, I hope this is the real one. Did I send cuttings of this one this winter? I’d be happy to get this out to folks interested in trying it.
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I’d be interested for sure 
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Siam Jumbo is living up to it’s name. Is it the best tasting, no. But I’ve had nearly continuous fruit for 4 months and it’s loaded now. Pinch it back and it puts out more mulberries that ripen in not much more than a month.
It was planted in Dec from a 12 gal pot.
Look at the size of the stems…!! I don’t eat these stems and all. They are truly two bite mulberries.
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@SteadyStan … that is a nice looking berry Stan.
My gerardi is in its 3rd year fruiting now… and the flavor has improved each year… and significantly so… here in year 3.
It rivals a good blackberry now… and has me wondering if I really need to continue to grow blackberries.
Mulberries are a lot less work and can produce much more fruit.
Is this the first or second year for your Shelli to fruit ?
If so… it may be even better next year.
TNHunter
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Totally agree @TNHunter. It’s only in its 2nd year and I expect to get better as it matures. Last year it only had a couple medium sized fruit.
Found this YT vid on Shelli… a unique thing it does fruiting wise… that could delay your fruiting a bit.
Seems that buds that open off the main trunk will produce shoots and leaves but no fruit… until next season.
My gerardi and silk hope when any bud opens (even on the main trunk) it produces shoots, leaves and fruit.
Evidently some mulberries do that and some do not. Shelli is one that does not.
Once you have side branches developed off the main trunk… the buds on those side branches will open and give you shoots leaves and fruit.
I did not know that some were different like that.
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My Gerardi berries in year 3.
Very tasty… nice rich fruity flavor with a good mix of sweet and tart.
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@kiwinut … passed my Oscar in the orchard today and remembered your question.
On the top side of Oscar leaves… definately a sandpaper feel. It is like the surface of the leaves are covered with tiny spikes and the spikes lean directionally towards the tip of the leaf.
When you rub it from the tip to the stem end… you are going against the grain… very ruf feeling. Not so bad the other direction.
I got a good pic of the bottom of Oscar leaf.
I dont see much there but nice veins… maby some small hair like things near some veins.
TNHunter
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