Mulberry Trees: Ancient Silk Road Legacy to Modern Backyard Bounty

Mulberries (Morus spp.) fueled the ancient silk trade—leaves fed silkworms, berries fed people and livestock. General Oglethorpe imported 500 white mulberries to Georgia (1733) for silk; Prince Nursery (1774) sold 500 M. alba and 1000 M. nigra; George Washington bought from them. Jefferson planted mulberries 20 ft apart lining Monticello's roads.

Species and Characteristics

• White mulberry (M. alba): Primary silk species; massive crops; livestock feed (Russell Smith: pigs gained 625 lbs pork/acre from fallen berries)
• Black mulberry (M. nigra): Superior flavor; "syrupy sweet as honey"
• Red mulberry (M. rubra): Native North American species

Modern Hybrid Cultivars

New grafted varieties surge U.S. demand (rare, expensive, hard to find). Adaptable nationwide except deep South/Southwest. Features: stainless fruit, early bearing, rapid growth (10 ft/year), berries 2" long ripening black/red/pink/white. Taste: raspberry-strawberry blend. Practically seedless, crisp when fresh.

Recommended Cultivars

• White Mulberry 'Whitey'
• Superberry Mulberry 'Superberry'
• Black Beauty 'Black Beauty' (PP 4913)
• Pakistan Mulberry 'Pakistan'
• Persian Mulberry 'Shah'
• Bachuus Noir 'Bachuus Noir'
• Red Gelato 'Red Gelato'

Uses and Caveats

• Fresh eating, ice cream, jams, jellies, beverages, pies, game bird stuffing
• Dead-ripe berries fragile—stain fingers purple; not commercially viable
• High sugar content ideal for processing
• Mature height: 30 ft
• Ethanol potential (South Korea research)

Historical Silk Connection

Camel caravans on the Silk Road (Turkey to China) spread mulberries westward. Turkish silk carpets still rely on M. alba. Early American silk ventures failed, but mulberry's food/fodder value persists.

From imperial silk monopoly to backyard superfood, the mulberry's journey spans continents and millennia—offering modern gardeners a taste of history with every berry.