Mulberries are an ancient fruit brought to North America from the Middle East. They are self-fertile and do not require another variety for fertilization. Our heirloom mulberries are bareroot trees, budded on Morus Alba. Mulberries are most productive and have the best flavor when grown in the sunniest, hottest locations. Plant where soil drainage is good. Can be trained as a tree or multi-stemmed bush. Can be grown without irrigation once fully established.
The following is a list of some of the best Heirloom Mulberries we have re-discovered throughout the Gold Country region.
Chelsea Mulberry (no pic)
Long delicious purple mulberry. We dont have pictures of this mulberry nor have we eaten it, but the owner swears on it and we tried to propagate it and it worked well by cuttings. They believe it may be a ‘Chelsea’ Mulberry.
Found in a backyard in Alta Sierra next to an ancient fig tree.
Lavender Mulberries
A delicious rare and beautiful Lavender colored mulberry. This is most likely a White Mulberry (Morus Alba) but it may be a White and Red Mulberry cross. A very delicious mulberry which is mostly sweet with hardly any tartness. It is not as dry as a regular white mulberry.
Found in Grass Valley and perhaps a chance seedling.
Noir d’Espagna (Spanish Black)
Widely regarded as the best tasting mulberry. This is the famed selection of Morus Nigra that Felix Gillet introduced to California in 1868. His original catalog describes them as “Very Large, Black, Sweet and Rich, Intensely flavorful.” The fruit are fully ripe when they turn jet black and lose a bit of their shine. It is considered to be ‘ever-bearing’ and bears a continuous crop from July into late September. Slow grower, likes drainage.rare
We have found a few of these trees scattered around the Gold Country area, including North San Juan, Grass Valley and Marshal Gold Discovery State Park. The trees can get 30+ feet wide and equally tall. It is a slow growing tree and has been very difficult to propagate, but we have finally figured out a system and we will be producing more of these horticultural gems in the future.
The magenta stain of the ‘Noir d’Espagne’ can be washed off!
Purple Mulberries
A delightful purple mulberry to be eaten individually or by the handful! These mulberries are somewhat common, you may have walked by a mulberry tree and the ground, grass and sidewalk were all stained from falling. Abundant through August and early September in Grass Valley.
This old tree has been growing beside its long time friend the white mulberry for perhaps a century. In addition to being great to eat, it also provides food for wildlife at a time of year when August heat desiccates most green vegetation. The old French Estate in GrassValley where it was discovered can be traced back to the 1880s and has a small repository of old Walnuts and other plants. Grass Valley is rich in Gold Rush culture, beauty and fruit trees.
White Mulberry
We finally beat the birds to these large succulent sweet white mulberries. When Eaten Fresh they are Crisp, Soft, somewhat delicate and Softly Sweet. Excellent dehydrated when their flavors and sweetness concentrate into a chewy snack. Great in Trail Mixes.
This old tree has been growing beside its long time friend the purple mulberry for perhaps a century. In addition to being great to eat, it also provides food for wildlife at a time of year when August heat desiccates most green vegetation. The old French Estate in GrassValley where it was discovered can be traced back to the 1880s and has a small repository of old Walnuts and other plants. Grass Valley is rich in Gold Rush culture, beauty and fruit trees. The leaves have traditionally been used as high protein fodder for animals and used for silk worms – their favorite food. Felix Gillet tried to encourage the silk industry here in Nevada County in the 1800s, selling lots of mulberry trees, but it is a very laborious industry and did not take hold.