Mulberry
Morus nigra
The black mulberry is a magnificent, long-lived tree bearing dark, juicy, sweet-tart fruits in August and September — said to be the best fruit for eating fresh from the tree. It is a British classic, though patience is required as trees can take 8–10 years to fruit from planting. Plant bare-root trees in November–March in deep, well-drained, fertile soil in full sun. Mulberries become large trees (10m+) but can be kept smaller with formative pruning. They are fully hardy, disease-resistant, and almost maintenance-free once established. The only challenge is harvesting without staining everything purple.
Plan where to grow Mulberry using our vegetable garden planner.
When to Plant Mulberry
Plant mulberry in November, December, January, February, March. It flowers in May.
Time to Harvest Mulberry
Expect to harvest approximately 96 months after planting, usually from August to September.
Companion Plants for Mulberry
- English Lavender
Lavender attracts pollinators and is happy at the sunny edge of the mulberry's canopy.
- Rosemary
Rosemary needs full sun, so grow it on the sunny side beyond the mulberry's canopy, where it enjoys the same well-drained soil.
- Chives
Chives are traditionally grown under fruit trees and are thought to help deter aphids.
Expected Yield
A mature tree can yield 10–20kg of fruit in a good year.
Pruning Mulberry
Prune only in late autumn or early winter when fully dormant, as mulberries bleed heavily if cut at other times; established trees need little beyond removing dead or crossing branches.
Common Problems with Mulberry
Tree grows huge for a small garden
Choose a dwarf variety on a semi-dwarfing rootstock, or prune hard in winter to maintain size. Train as a fan against a warm wall.
Fruit drops before fully ripe
Mulberries ripen unevenly. Place a sheet under the tree and shake branches gently to catch falling fruit at peak ripeness.
No fruit after many years
Seed-grown trees can take 10+ years. Buy a named grafted variety to reduce the wait to 3–5 years.
Mulberry: common questions
When should I plant mulberry in the UK?
Plant mulberry from November to March.
How far apart should I plant mulberry?
Space mulberry about 8m apart. It grows to around 10m tall.
When is mulberry ready to harvest?
In the UK, mulberry is usually harvested from August to September.
When does mulberry flower?
Mulberry usually flowers in May in the UK.
Does mulberry come back every year?
Yes. Mulberry is a perennial and comes back every year, dying back or slowing down over winter and regrowing in spring.
When should I prune mulberry?
Prune only in late autumn or early winter when fully dormant, as mulberries bleed heavily if cut at other times; established trees need little beyond removing dead or crossing branches.
What grows well with mulberry?
Good companions for mulberry include English Lavender, Rosemary and Chives. See the companion plants section above for why each one helps.
Is mulberry frost hardy?
Yes. Mulberry is hardy and survives a normal UK winter outdoors.
Plan your mulberry in the allotment planner
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