These grafted selections are the true Morus rubra, native denizen of rich, floodplain forests across the eastern US. True, non-hybrid Morus rubra is identified by its large, coarse-textured leaves lacking any glossy finish. The veins are deeply embossed, the undersides pubescent, and each leaf features a prominent acuminate drip tip. Where leaves divide into lobes, each lobe also ends in an acuminate drip tip. The bark is grey-brown and plated. Fruits are generally long and slender with a delicious sub-acid or sweet-tart flavor. There are other subtle features which distinguish our native mulberry from Morus alba and the many variations of alba x rubra hybrids. Based on morphological features, and in a few cases genotype confirmation, the ones listed here are the real deal rubra. Morus rubra will not root from cuttings, unlike Morus alba, therefore grafting is a necessity for preserving specimens of this species.
While fruiting female selection are the most desirable for edible landscaping, male selections are important for ecological restoration. Mulberries are generally dioecious, bearing male and female flowers on separate trees. However they are also parthenocarpic, so like chickens, female trees will make fruit without fertilized seeds if there is no pollinizing male nearby. If you wish to grow rubra seedlings, or if you’d like to influence existing local mulberries with pure rubra pollen, you may want to consider the addition of a male plant. *A minority of Morus rubra trees demonstrate the ability to produce both male and female flowers in the same season, known as monoecy.
7700 Princeton — male Morus rubra selection from Lucky Pittman in Kentucky.
Big Cove Tannery K1 & K2 — Morus rubra selections from Fulton county, PA.
Big Ivy #1 & #2 — Morus rubra selections from Buncombe county, NC.
Daugherty #1 — fruiting female Morus rubra selection from Georgia.
Daugherty #2 — monoecious Morus rubra selection from Georgia which produces both male (staminate) and female (fruiting) flowers.
Dickey’s Mountain #1 — Morus rubra from Fulton county, PA.
Dickey’s Mountain #2 — female Morus rubra selection from Fulton county, PA.
Fred’s Red — male Morus rubra selection from Hardin county, KY.
Harmony Grove — fruiting (female) Morus rubra selection from Hopkinsville, KY introduced by Lucky Pittman. Fruits described as plump and tasty but not quite as large as the fruits of Illinois Everbearing. Tested as pure Morus rubra, according to a 2022 SARE grant.
Judaculla — Morus rubra selection(s) from Jackson county, NC.
Outland A — male Morus rubra selection from Kentucky.
Roberts farm #5, 6, & 7 — Morus rubra selections from Kentucky.
Rowland Lakehouse — fruiting (female) Morus rubra selection from Kentucky, from Lucky Pittman.
Spillway — fruiting (female) Morus rubra selection from Lucky Pittman in Kentucky. Tested as pure Morus rubra according to the 2022 SARE grant.
Workman — male Morus rubra selection from KY.
These mulberry trees come in 4” x 14” tree pots and have 1-2’ of growth or more above the graft union, which is low on the trunk.
These grafted selections are the true Morus rubra, native denizen of rich, floodplain forests across the eastern US. True, non-hybrid Morus rubra is identified by its large, coarse-textured leaves lacking any glossy finish. The veins are deeply embossed, the undersides pubescent, and each leaf features a prominent acuminate drip tip. Where leaves divide into lobes, each lobe also ends in an acuminate drip tip. The bark is grey-brown and plated. Fruits are generally long and slender with a delicious sub-acid or sweet-tart flavor. There are other subtle features which distinguish our native mulberry from Morus alba and the many variations of alba x rubra hybrids. Based on morphological features, and in a few cases genotype confirmation, the ones listed here are the real deal rubra. Morus rubra will not root from cuttings, unlike Morus alba, therefore grafting is a necessity for preserving specimens of this species.
While fruiting female selection are the most desirable for edible landscaping, male selections are important for ecological restoration. Mulberries are generally dioecious, bearing male and female flowers on separate trees. However they are also parthenocarpic, so like chickens, female trees will make fruit without fertilized seeds if there is no pollinizing male nearby. If you wish to grow rubra seedlings, or if you’d like to influence existing local mulberries with pure rubra pollen, you may want to consider the addition of a male plant. *A minority of Morus rubra trees demonstrate the ability to produce both male and female flowers in the same season, known as monoecy.
7700 Princeton — male Morus rubra selection from Lucky Pittman in Kentucky.
Big Cove Tannery K1 & K2 — Morus rubra selections from Fulton county, PA.
Big Ivy #1 & #2 — Morus rubra selections from Buncombe county, NC.
Daugherty #1 — fruiting female Morus rubra selection from Georgia.
Daugherty #2 — monoecious Morus rubra selection from Georgia which produces both male (staminate) and female (fruiting) flowers.
Dickey’s Mountain #1 — Morus rubra from Fulton county, PA.
Dickey’s Mountain #2 — female Morus rubra selection from Fulton county, PA.
Fred’s Red — male Morus rubra selection from Hardin county, KY.
Harmony Grove — fruiting (female) Morus rubra selection from Hopkinsville, KY introduced by Lucky Pittman. Fruits described as plump and tasty but not quite as large as the fruits of Illinois Everbearing. Tested as pure Morus rubra, according to a 2022 SARE grant.
Judaculla — Morus rubra selection(s) from Jackson county, NC.
Outland A — male Morus rubra selection from Kentucky.
Roberts farm #5, 6, & 7 — Morus rubra selections from Kentucky.
Rowland Lakehouse — fruiting (female) Morus rubra selection from Kentucky, from Lucky Pittman.
Spillway — fruiting (female) Morus rubra selection from Lucky Pittman in Kentucky. Tested as pure Morus rubra according to the 2022 SARE grant.
Workman — male Morus rubra selection from KY.
These mulberry trees come in 4” x 14” tree pots and have 1-2’ of growth or more above the graft union, which is low on the trunk.
