Mulberry

[davholla]

Has anyone ever grown this ?


According to
http://www.chrisbowers.co.uk/mulberries.php

A long lived and very decorative tree that is self fertile. They prefer a sheltered, warm sunny position and are often grown against a sunny, south facing wall. The Mulberry is very slow growing and normally starts to fruit at 8 years old. If grown in containers they will fruit much earlier, often at 3-4 years old. Pruning is simply a matter of training and pruning as required for shape, and trimming the side shoots to 4 or 5 leaves in late July to encourage fruit spurs. Although very slow growing, they can, after many years, reach a height of 20'+ if grown in the open garden. The fruits are dark red, almost black, and resemble a very large raspberry, or a loganberry, with a delicious, but rather sharp flavour that is quite unique

Can it be grown in a container ?  My only spot is north facing but I do live in sunnier south London.

[davholla]

[Barnowl]

20ft sounds a bit small. It may take a long time but I've seen Mulberry trees at least 40ft high.

[jennym]

You probably can grow a mulberry in a container because it is so slow growing, and I quite fancy the idea, may have a go myself!
Do agree with barbowl though, sure they grow bigger than 20 ft in the open, I have seen one bearing fruit somewhere in a National trust garden, maybe Chartwell I'm not sure now.
I've got a sweet chestnut in a pot, it must be about 10 -12 years old now and is almost a large bonsai at about 6ft tall. It has a lovely form, and is very decorative when in leaf. If that can grow in a pot, then I'm sure a mulberry could.

[Amazin]

I have a mulberry bush which, though planted in the ground, could easily be put in a pot. I got it from Buckingham Nurseries who offer two types, black or white. I have the black one which is slow growing. Here's a link:

http://www.buckingham-nurseries.co.uk/acatalog/Index_Other_Fruit___Nuts_24.html#10581

[Barnowl]

Looks like pot growing is an option.  Also in pots from Blackmoor Nursery:

http://www.blackmoor.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=785

Now I'm tempted!

[cleo]

I stand to be corrected but I wouldn`t grow a mulberry in a container. They are not so slow growing as one might think and they grow large. The fruit are to kill for though.

[Amazin]

Mine is.

[davholla]

Mine is.

In a container ?  If so please tell more.

[Amazin]

As I said earlier, mine is the slow growing black mulberry bush which could probably even now be easily uprooted and put in a large pot. Many trees or shrubs can manage quite well if you use a big enough pot and if they're slow growing you have plenty of time to enjoy them before you even have to consider relocating them.

[Froglegs]

You can get them from Marshalls.