Illinois Everbearing Mulberry Tree Live Plant – Cold Hardy Fruit Tree

Overview

Experience the joy of homegrown fruit with the Illinois Everbearing Mulberry Tree. This remarkable hybrid variety is renowned for its prolific and continuous fruit production, delivering a steady supply of delicious, dark berries throughout the summer months. As a cold hardy fruit tree, it’s an excellent choice for a wide range of climates, thriving in USDA Hardiness Zones 4-9. This fast-growing tree can reach an impressive height of 12-25 feet and spread 10-25 feet wide, making it a prominent and productive addition to any landscape. The Illinois Everbearing mulberry is a true garden workhorse, providing both shade and an abundance of sweet, juicy fruit, perfect for fresh eating, jams, pies, and more.

This particular offering is for a live starter plant, allowing you to establish a robust and productive mulberry tree in your own garden. It’s an unbranded, high-quality specimen ready to flourish with proper care. The ease of growth and generous yield make the Illinois Everbearing Mulberry Tree a favorite among home gardeners looking to expand their edible landscape with minimal fuss.

Key Benefits

The Illinois Everbearing Mulberry Tree offers a multitude of advantages for the home gardener:

• Abundant Fruit Production: Enjoy a continuous harvest of 1-inch long, sweet mulberries throughout the summer, providing fresh fruit for an extended period.
• Exceptional Cold Hardiness: This variety is incredibly resilient, thriving in temperatures down to -20°F (-29°C), making it suitable for a broad range of climates, particularly as a cold hardy fruit tree.
• Fast Growth Rate: Establish a mature, fruit-bearing tree relatively quickly, with its vigorous growth habit.
• Adaptable and Low Maintenance: Once established, the Illinois Everbearing Mulberry Tree is quite forgiving, preferring average, moist soils with good drainage and requiring at least four hours of direct sunlight daily. It’s a great choice for those who want to grow mulberry tree without constant fuss.
• Versatile Culinary Uses: The sweet mulberries are perfect for eating fresh, baking into pies and muffins, making jams and jellies, or even drying for later use.
• Wildlife Attraction: The berries are a favorite among birds and other wildlife, adding natural vibrancy to your garden ecosystem.
• Shade and Ornamental Value: Beyond its fruit, the mature tree provides excellent shade and has an attractive form, enhancing your garden’s aesthetic appeal.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

To ensure your Illinois Everbearing Mulberry Tree thrives, understanding its specific care requirements is key. This robust tree prefers at least four hours of direct sunlight per day. Choose a location in your garden that receives ample sun exposure, ideally full sun, for optimal fruit production and overall health. When it comes to soil, the Illinois Everbearing variety is not overly particular, preferring average, moist soils with good drainage. Avoid overly wet or waterlogged conditions, as this can lead to root issues. Incorporating organic matter into the planting hole can help improve soil structure and fertility.

Water young mulberry trees regularly to help them establish a strong root system. Once mature, they are relatively drought-tolerant but will benefit from consistent moisture during dry spells, especially when fruiting. Fertilization can be done in early spring with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer designed for fruit trees. Pruning is best done in late winter or early spring while the tree is dormant. Focus on removing dead, damaged, or crossing branches, and shaping the tree to maintain an open canopy for good air circulation and light penetration. The Illinois Everbearing Mulberry Tree is hardy in fruit tree zones 4-9, tolerating significant cold temperatures down to -20°F (-29°C).

While generally resistant to many pests and diseases, keep an eye out for common issues. Good air circulation through proper spacing and pruning can help prevent fungal problems. With these basic care steps, you’ll be well on your way to enjoying a bountiful harvest from your mulberry tree. Learning how to grow mulberry tree successfully is a rewarding experience.

Size & Details

This offering is for a live starter plant of the Illinois Everbearing Mulberry Tree. These are typically shipped as bare root plants, meaning they arrive without soil or a pot, which is a common and effective method for shipping deciduous trees. The tree is a vigorous grower, capable of reaching a mature height of 12-25 feet and a spread of 10-25 feet. The fruit produced is approximately 1 inch long and ripens continuously throughout the summer. It’s a fast-growing specimen, meaning you can expect it to establish quickly and begin fruiting within a few years under ideal conditions. This variety is known for its resilience and ability to produce fruit for many years, making it a long-term investment for your garden. It is highly adaptable and an excellent choice for a productive yet beautiful landscape element across various fruit tree zones 4-9.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this plant get? A: The Illinois Everbearing Mulberry Tree is a fast-growing variety that can reach a mature height of 12-25 feet tall and spread 10-25 feet wide, providing ample shade and fruit.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: This is an outdoor fruit tree, best suited for planting directly in the ground in your garden where it can thrive and produce fruit. It is a true cold hardy fruit tree.
• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: The Illinois Everbearing Mulberry Tree requires at least four hours of direct sunlight per day for optimal growth and fruit production. Full sun is ideal.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, once established, the Illinois Everbearing Mulberry Tree is considered low-maintenance and quite resilient. It’s a great choice for gardeners who want to grow mulberry tree with relative ease.
• Q: What condition will it arrive in? A: These plants are typically shipped bare root, meaning they arrive without soil or a pot, carefully packaged to ensure their health during transit.
• Q: How long until it produces fruit? A: Mulberry trees generally begin to produce fruit within 2-3 years after planting, with increasing yields as the tree matures.
• Q: Will it survive winter in my zone? A: Absolutely, the Illinois Everbearing Mulberry Tree is exceptionally cold-hardy, thriving in USDA Zones 4-9 and tolerating temperatures down to -20°F (-29°C).
• Q: What kind of soil does it prefer? A: It prefers average, moist soils with good drainage, but it is quite adaptable to various soil types as long as they are not waterlogged.
• Q: Can I prune this tree to keep it smaller? A: Yes, you can prune the Illinois Everbearing Mulberry Tree to manage its size and shape, which can also help encourage more accessible fruit production.
• Q: Is this a self-pollinating tree? A: Yes, the Illinois Everbearing Mulberry is self-fertile, meaning you only need one tree to produce fruit.