Can you graft a morus nigra onto an alba or rubra rootstock or some other compatible wood to survive zone 5?
I’m pretty sure they are graft compatible, yes. However…
… If you do that, it will just die above the graft. So no, the hardiness of the rootstock won’t impart any greater hardiness to the grafted variety.
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I agree. I have noticed with less hardy mulberry the top can die but the roots survive. Much like the closely related fig tree. The roots seem to be hardier although the warmth of the soil helps.
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I am not good at identifying mulberries. I bought this one and propagated another from cuttings. It fruited from cutting 2nd year (this year). It was labeled as a nigra but sold in zone 6, which is odd to me from what im reading. Listed height on the tag was 30-40’, width 15-20’. If its MN, im guessing ill have to keep it in a pot and overwinter in the garage. If its some sort of hybrid, I’d like to put it in the ground.
I think that it is a typical Morus alba. M. nigra has smaller leaves, black buds and rough twisted stem.
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I also think it’s Morus alba.
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Here are my small M.nigra probably in vitro plants. Leaf surface is rough on touch like a sandpaper.
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Nice! They look healthy. How long have you had them? Purchased in the Czech Republic I presume?
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Yes, a friend that runs in vitro lab gave them to me at the beginning of this year. They havent made much growth in a pot but will be planted outside soon.
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These are Morus nigra unmistakably
Not even truly so. It is a typical “large-leaved” alba, which in fact is M. alba f. macrophylla aka M. latifolia. The real alba has pretty smaller leaves (and berries 
) like these.
Definitely.
Sorry for the late reply.
There is not a lot of information around about this varity. It is an actual nigra. I believe it is a typical nigra in every regard. It is growing in a very mild region where you can find figtrees growing everywhere. So growing in germany in this case is not a hint its especially hardy I fear.
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Neither of those are accepted botanical names
It might be typical of plants sold under the name M. nigra. However, the nodes appear to be M. alba.
In my experience “M. nigra” is the most abused label among all fruiting plants.
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Hi Richard,
I was replying to an older question regarding a mulberry from germany traded by the name Mathildes Traum. That tree is a true morus nigra.
In every other aspect you are absolutely right. Everytime I tried to buy a morus nigra it was in fact an alba. I now grow some true morus nigra but it was a quite a hunt.
I saw the photo. The nodes are the same as a typical M. alba.
If you want to dispute it further then please provide a chromosome report from a cytology lab.
You are right, no way to be sure without a test. But I still believe it to be morus nigra. I did see more convincing pictures from a friend who owns it. There is a nursery spezialised in mulberries stating the same.
Here is another picture
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The black buds appear like Nigra to me.
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Yes, the tree on this photo definitely looks like a M. nigra.
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Yes, that’s correct. The other seller might have used a stock mulberry photo.
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