Dwarf Mulberry Bush

This dwarf mulberry bush Morus rotundiloba ‘Matsunga’ is an exciting addition to the family and was awarded the RHS Chelsea Flower Show Plant of the Year in 2017. They are neglected commercially as the soft fruits do not transport well but they are an absolutely delicious summer fruit when picked fresh.

This slow-growing Mulberry is compact enough for a patio as it will only reach a maximum height of 1.5m. They are completely frost hardy, but if planting out in the garden they prefer a spot in full sun and out of cold, drying winds to ripen the fruit in the summer. Prepare the ground well before planting too, as they like moderately fertile, moist well-drained soil.

Whilst your plant is in a small pot it will need regular watering. Aim to water it heavily and then allow the top of the compost to dry out before watering heavily again. If you decide to keep it in a container then it will benefit from being potted on into a much larger pot at the end of this summer. Add a top dressing of well-rotted manure or other rich compost to help your plant settle in.

The amazing thing about this dwarf Mulberry is that it can produce fruit on both new and old wood. They flower in May and June and have a long harvesting period from as early as May going through to September. The fruit are best picked as soon as they darken to black and are delicious with cream or ice cream!

Problem solving Your plant shouldn’t need much feeding but if you are keeping it in the small pot for a while or the leaves start to appear pale of mottled then a good general purpose feed will always give it a good boost.

Mulberry plants are deciduous so don’t be alarmed if it starts to lose its leaves in winter. These plants are reasonably hardy but if we do have particularly cold spells (-5C or colder) then a fleece or heavy straw mulch will give your plant a bit more protection especially in the first couple of years.