How do I propogate a mulberry tree?

I have a large mulberry tree that I have tried taking cuttings from in the fall but they all died. I potted them up in potting soil and placed the pot in a plastic bag to keep them moist. I've had good luck with other things but not with these. Any ideas of what I should do differently? Is now a better time to try?

I had good luck with mulberry doing it like you did. I took a dormant branch and chopped it up with 1 or 2 leaf nodes in the soil and one above with several in a 1 gallon pot. I put the plastic bag on and put the pot against my foundation for several months, on the north side in shade. In the spring they started leaf buds and I took the cover off. Next I potted them up separately.

I like to wet the soil real thoroughly and let it dry for a couple days before covering. I also used a rooting hormone powder. I have success with lots of things this way. I have had the whole batch croak. I think it was because the soil was too wet.

Thanks Twiggy, This is what I did except I didn't use rooting hormone. Don't know what happened. Guess I'll try again in the fall. Or maybe even now. Sure can't hurt.
I love mulberry trees because they bring in so many birds when they are fruiting.

mulberries are a weed here. they seed everywhere. you might have better luck with just seeding them.

Len, Thanks I'll try that. I've heard other people say they sucker and reseed but I haven't had that experience. Maybe it's because it's in a clear area and I keep the grass around it cut. I don't know. Just guessing. Thanks.

pestee i think here the birds eat them and distribute the seed. when i first moved here i was going to try one, but the birds ate everyone of them the minute they were ripe. I know they grow fast from seed.

I found another little tree yesterday! I was clearing out the fence row and there it was. I'm going to try to move it. The cedar wax wings love them and I also saw my first rose breasted gross beak in the mulberry tree. It's definitely a great tree for birds.

pestee, that's funny. i am glad you are wanting them for the birds and not yourself. it is one of their favorites. i bet if you didn't mow around the tree you will have many more.lol

Mulberry trees (Morus) are very easy to root cuttings. I would suggest that you take cuttings during the summer....June or July. Rooting hormone is helpful but not necessary. I have a shrubby mulberry tree that will bear fruit nearly all year. Every time I cut it back, it comes into bloom and fruit.

Mulberry trees are considered invasive and non-native in most areas. Before you propagate, I'd make sure which Mulberry you have--Red or White. One is invasive, and should not be propagated, one is native, not invasive, and should be propagated. There are some great websites to tell you how to tell which you have, and now, when they are fruiting is the best time to check. Just google "Red versus White Mulberry" or something to that effect. I've looked it up before, but can't remember all the details....

red is the invasive,but only because birds love them and people don't like them pooping on their cars. It's not like they are taking over the forests or anything.

Who eats white mulberry....... There is a black mulberry and a red mulberry (Morus nigra and Morus rubra)

that's probably why white is not invasive,because nothing eats them.

White mulberry = Morus alba, a non-native invasive tree from China. Lots of birds and some people eat the berries.

Red mulberry = Morus rubra, a native North American tree, endagered or threatened in some northern states. Birds and people eat this one, too.

There's another, Paper mulberry, Broussonetia papyrifera that's also an invasive species. I wouldn't propagate white or paper mulberry. There's plenty of weed mulberries around here as it is. I pull them up all the time.

thx claypa. It's nice to know that our invasive non-invasive red mulberry trees are actually rare. If I can just convince myself and the neighbors of that!LOL!

Len, I wonder if your trees really are Red Mulberry. I'd be happy to find one around here. Red mulberry leaves are hairy on the bottom, and rough like sandpaper on top. White mulberry fruit can be red sometimes, and the two species can hybridize, so ID can be difficult. Native trees aren't considered invasive, because they're ...well, native! They're a natural part of the landscape and ecosystems.

well claypa, I know they are ripe when they are red, they are horrible tasting if not ripe and red, and the birds know the exact moment they are ripe and will strip them clean, and only leave me one berry max. The trunk and limbs are a brown paper bag brown.

That's interesting about hybridizing, Claypa, as I have a beautiful Mulberry that I have been having trouble IDing as either M alba or rubra. Wonder if its a hybrid of some type? I value it because it attracts birds, but have been wondering which variety I have....

Haven't checked this post in a while. Interesting converstaions. After finding this web site I believe mine is the red mulberry. I'm going to try rooting some cuttings.

http://okeechobee.ifas.ufl.edu/News%20columns/FYN.edible.natives.htm

the white mulberry is named for it's white bloom. trere's also a black mulberry sally

Wow, didn't anyone read my reply? Morus nigra is a black mulberry. As the fruit ripens it goes from pale green to red and finally black. The totally black fruit are very sweet.

guess i missed that one when the phone rang .should have gone further back up the thread . sorry bout that sally

Either way, as I sit here eating my very first Mulberry cobbler, I'm happy no matter what variety I have! (I'll post the recipe if anyone is interested...).

Yes, I would love your recipe for mulberry cobbler!

You got it--we just finished it off tonight--very easy and yummy:

Mulberry Cobbler

2 cups Mulberries, washed (and de-stemmed, if you wish)
1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar (depending on sweetness of berries)
6 TB butter
3/4 cup flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour)
1/3 cup sugar (in addition to that above)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest (if desired; I used more)
Spices of your choice (I used cinnamon plus a little nutmeg and a tsp vanilla)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees farenheit. Place the berries in a bowl and stir in the 1/4-1/2 cup sugar, then set aside. Melt the butter in an 8-inch baking dish. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together, then stir in the brown sugar and dry spices. Add the milk, lemon zest and vanilla to the dry ingredients and mix. Pour into the melted butter/baking dish and spread the berries evenly over the top (do not mix them in). Bake for 40-50 minutes. Serve warm with cream or ice cream over the top. Enjoy!

And just to give credit where credit is due--as I recall, I got the basic recipe off allrecipes.com.....

This message was edited May 10, 2008 9:26 PM

Yotedog, Thanks for the recipe. Do you remove the stems? If so how. I've never had luck pulling them off without squishing the berry and cutting them seems so tedious. Probably a dumb question.

I've heard you don't have to for pie ( I suspect they soften in the juice as it bakes), but I'd recommend it for the cobbler, though you could try and see. Yes, that is the tedious part. Definitely need a very sharp knife or they smush!

Wow! I just went out to the mulberry tree that is in my back yard and tried the berries. I've been waiting for them to turn black like the ones that used to grow in my Grandma's yard. They're about an inch and a half long and white, and , boy, are they good. Unfortunately, I waited so long for them to turn color that most of them are already gone!! I did not know that there was such a thing as a white mulberry.... I've been trying to keep this tree alive since I moved in about four and half years ago. The house had set vacant for nearly 7 years and no one was taking care of the 3 trees on the place. I was delighted when I realized that this one was a fruiting mylberry as most of the trees around here a non-fruiting. In fact, I don't think you can even buy a fruiting mulberry here in Arizona anymore because of the pollen..... Anyway, now that I know what I've got I really want to take cuttings and grow more!!! June is almost here so I'll try some cuttings. Does it matter where on the tree to make the cuttings? I pruned it back quite a bit last fall to shape it a bit better. It didn't seem to mind as it's doing really well. There are several branches that I want to remove so I'll start with them. Just new shoots on ther trunk. Any advice will be greatly appreciated. And no more badmouthing white mulberrys!!! They are soooo sweet and good. Dare I say it? Better than Grandma's!!!!

I am so sorry, I did not intend to badmouth white mulberries. I would love to try them. As far as rooting mulberry cuttings, I find that the new, semi-woody/green cuttings root the best. Try to catch the new growth, it might be a little larger in diameter than the little side branches, but they should root quickly. I think the new growth should start appearing within a month or so after fruiting has finished. Is there a chance you could take some photos (close-ups) of the white mulberry?

Here's a recent thread about white mullberry:

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/854217/

I grow the Shatoot mulberry which can be eaten straight from the tree or dried in the manner of raisins ...it is honey sweet and can grow to 6 inches in length.It turns a translucent sort of light honey colour when ripe ...the birds don't recognise it as edible because of it's colour. The fruit is very long and narrow ...beautiful quick growing tree.

Oh, Please, please, please come to my yard and dig up 40 or 50 of these!!! Red and black, they pop up in all of the beds and the birds seem to want me to leave them alone with their feast Sometimes, I think that they are drunk on them. They don't even fly away when I walk past. I'm seriously considering chopping them down. Purple stains everywhere. What fool planted these near the walkways???? Mary

Maybe the birds? The red mulberry is the native tree, and it's becoming scarce. Are the leaves fuzzy on the bottom and rough like sandpaper on top? Or are they smooth and shiny? If you have some red mulberry / Morus rubra, I'd love to grow it. I drive past there all the time.
This time of year I pull white mulberries almost every day, three just today.

Hi Claypa, They're smooth and shiny. If that's what you want, please come get some!!!! Mary

Haha...Uh... no thanks...got plenty of those whether I want them or not. That's the weed white mulberry, Morus alba. The only red mulberry I've seen around here is at Longwood, but they're supposed to exist in this part of PA somewhere. Thanks though.

I love those 80' tall weeds!!! If I hear of one of the others, I'll let you know. Someone intentionally planted these. They're all in a line!!!! Mary