Northrop Mulberry is said to be the cold-hardiest mulberry cultivar.
It is a White Mulberry(Morus alba) and produces a lot of fruit.
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Northrop Mulberry is said to be the cold-hardiest mulberry cultivar.
It is a White Mulberry(Morus alba) and produces a lot of fruit.
Can you tell me where I can purchase Northrop mulberry trees? Also, if it is a Morus alba, why is the fruit so dark?
Can you tell me where I can buy Northrop mulberry trees?
I’m not sure where available now, I got mine from Saint Lawrence nurseries and looks like they are retired now and not accepting any more orders. The fruit of Morus alba can be various colors, from white to pink to purple or black. The alba in the name isn’t reference to the fruit color.
That’s not what I wanted to hear, but thanks for your prompt reply, Lance. Would you be willing to send me some dried fruit so I can try propagating them from seed?
Lance, I believe I made a mistake. You said above that the Northrop is a cultivar so it would not be good to propagate if from seed, right? Well, it looks to me that you are a nurseryman and must have the knowledge to take softwood cuttings and root them. If so, would you be willing to make some for me and I will pay you for them? I want to cultivate a grove of mulberry trees and use the fruit to make commercial wine. Have you ever had homemade mulberry wine? It is to die for and there is none in the U.S. and not much in Europe either. If you are interested we can discuss this further on the phone. Thanks, JR
Yeah, northrop is only propagated asexually to retain the cold hardiness, as seedlings are variable. St. lawrence had sold tissue cultured plants. Mulberries can be variable via cuttings, that’s why most places offer grafted plants. Now that my tree is largest enough, I’ll be taking some big cuttings off it this spring and see if they grow.
Well, it looks like you will be the last person in the US propagating this tree and I would like to be a customer if you are successful so good luck and I will be back in touch. I live in northern Illinois about at the intersection of I80 and I39. I have 2-1/2 acres planted in Aronia berries, 100 elderberries and two dozen mulberry trees so far. 4 years ago I went to Missouri Valley and learned about Aronias from Vaughn Pitz and then decided to diversify. I still have about 8 acres to expand on. If you want to take a look at my place go to http://www.brightwoodinn.com. Thanks again, JR
P.S. If your grafting is a success I’ll take 5-10 trees , maybe more depending on your prices.
Most nurseries graft mulberry, but this selection is selected for its cold hardiness, so want it on its on roots. That is why Saint lawrence had it tissue cultured. I tried some small, thin cuttings without any treatment, and most leafed out but withered away months later, so maybe didn’t establish root system. I’ve read to try thick cuttings for mulberry, so I’ll see how that works this spring.
Are you familiar with the mulberry (and other plants) growing experiments done by the Carandale Farm in Wisconsin for the University of Wisconsin? They rated the Northrop the best. I have corresponded with them and they are willing to let me take cuttings for grafting, but I have no experience with that. The website is http://www.uncommonfruit.cias.wis.edu/
I re-read your last post and I now realize that you aren’t going to graft them so if I get a chance to go up to Carandale Farm I’ll try rooting some too. Maybe they can give me some advice on how to do it. Sometimes I think senility is sneaking up on me.
No, haven’t heard of them, but interesting what they are doing, I like trying a lot of different plants, too, especially fruits, since I love them. Mulberries may be easier with grafting, so if you do get some material off their northrop, probably could try grafting and rooting cuttings. If you get a graft going, then you’d have enough cuttings to try rooting at various seasons, to see what works best.
How long after taking a cutting can you wait to graft or root it? I am a 2 hour drive from Carandale Farm.
Just wrap them in some wet newspaper, throw them in a plastic bag and put them in the fridge if can’t process them right away, I think in the next few days I’ll be planting some cuttings before my trees leaf out, starting to get warmer here. I’m going to make sure to take about 1 or 2 inch cuttings, last year I tried pencil thin.
Hey, Lance – how’s it going with the Northrop cuttings you said you were going to do? Our warm weather went south and it’s been quite windy and chilly the last two weeks. Looking forward to some warm days again now that May is almost here. The mulberry trees in my transplanted “grove” are looking pretty good and so are the elderberry and aronia plantations. It would be nice to have a banner year.
None of my mulberries are leafed out yet, so will be awhile before I see what cuttings do, has been cool so far, that’s alright though, don’t like when things leaf out too early and get freeze damage.
Oh, you are right about that because it happened here to some of my mulberry saplings last week. My tallest trees didn’t suffer any damage and are leafing out nicely now. If you are successful with the Northrop cuttings when would I be able to get them?
If I am successful I’ll update this, but probably wouldn’t know until later this year if they take and I wouldn’t dig them up until early next spring, stay tuned…
OK, thanks Lance.
Hi, Lance – did you have success with rooting the mulberry cuttings?
Not the best of luck, this is what the best northrop mulberry cutting currently looks like
With all the rains lately, I didn’t have to water much, but when I went to check on them last month, seemed buried under surrounding trees’ growth, which probably didn’t help.
Somewhere on the internet someone mentioned they were having success taking cuttings in summer and rooting under mist.
How is the Northrop cutting doing that you rooted ?
I tried rooting 2 cuttings last year from cricket hill …did not make it .. any suggestions !
Many thanks for reply …linda
No, the one in the pic didn’t come up the following spring. I’ve tried dormant cuttings in spring multiple times, haven’t had success with it that way, though haven’t used rooting hormone either. Have a second one growing after my brother used misting on mid summer cuttings that I think he used rooting hormone.