Everbearing mulberry is a fast-growing, easy fruit tree that produces sweet, blackberry-like fruit over a long season in Florida. (Morus sp. (everbearing))
Shop this plant: Everbearing Mulberry Plant Ready To Fruit
Quick Care Summary
- Sun: Full sun, at least 6 hours.
- Soil: Adaptable to sand, limestone and loam as long as it drains.
- Watering: Water new plants 2-3 times a week for the first month, then weekly.
Sun
Full sun, at least 6 hours. Mulberries tolerate light shade but fruit best in sun.
Soil
Adaptable to sand, limestone and loam as long as it drains. Mulberries tolerate alkaline soil well.
Watering
Water new plants 2-3 times a week for the first month, then weekly. Established trees are drought tolerant but fruit is juicier with regular water during the crop.
Fertilizer Schedule for South Florida
Feed with a balanced fertilizer (such as 6-6-6 with minor elements) in early spring, early summer and late summer. Mulberries need little; too much nitrogen gives leaves instead of fruit.
Pruning
Mulberries fruit on new growth and respond well to hard pruning. Prune right after each main crop to keep the plant compact and trigger a new flush of fruiting wood.
Cold Protection
Very cold hardy; established plants handle frost and freezes into the teens. Young plants in pots may need protection in hard freezes.
Container vs. In-Ground
Grows well in a 15-25 gallon container with yearly hard pruning, or in the ground.
Spacing
Plant 10-15 ft apart; dwarf types can be 6-8 ft apart or kept as a hedge.
Flowering and Fruiting Timeline
Often fruits the first year. Main crop February-May, with lighter crops after pruning.
Harvest
Pick when berries are fully black and come off easily. They do not ripen after picking; refrigerate and use within a few days.
Common Pests and Diseases
Start with organic, low-impact fixes: good airflow, clean-up of fallen fruit and leaves, and soaps or oils before anything stronger. Always follow label directions.
Scale and mealybugs
How to identify: Small bumps or white cottony clusters on stems and leaf undersides, often with sticky honeydew and black sooty mold.
Organic-first treatment: Prune heavily infested twigs, spray horticultural oil or insecticidal soap, and control the ants that farm them.
Mulberry leaf spot and bacterial blight
How to identify: Dark spots on leaves, sometimes with yellow halos, in rainy weather.
Organic-first treatment: Prune for airflow, clean up fallen leaves, and avoid overhead watering.
Fruit flies
How to identify: Small punctures in ripening fruit that turn soft and rot from inside.
Organic-first treatment: Harvest on time, pick up dropped fruit daily, and bag developing fruit with mesh or paper bags.
Birds
How to identify: Missing or pecked fruit.
Organic-first treatment: Net the plant during ripening, or plant enough to share.
FAQ
Does mulberry need a pollinator? No, everbearing mulberries are self-fruitful.
Will it stain my patio? Yes, ripe berries stain, so plant away from walkways and driveways.
Related Reading
- Everbearing Mulberry Trees in Florida: How to Choose, Plant and Grow
- Mulberry Tree Problems in South Florida (and Fixes)
- How to Prune Mulberry Trees in Florida (Plus Recipes)
Ready to grow your own? Get the Everbearing Mulberry here.
