Morus nigra 'Chelsea' (F) | black mulberry 'Chelsea'

Frank P Matthews

Synonyms

Morus nigra 'King James'
Morus nigra 'King James I'

Trees Fruit Edible

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A spreading, medium-sized tree, developing crooked and gnarled branches, with heart-shaped, serrated, mid-green foliage turning yellow in autumn. Small, fluffy, catkin-like, green flowers, in late spring or early summer, are followed in late summer by large, succulent, dark red to black fruit. A self-fertile variety with good flavour, cropping from a young age

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

8-12 metres

Max Spread

wider than 8 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 20–50 years
Max Spread: wider than 8 metres
Max Height: 8-12 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H6

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Moraceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Spreading branched
Genus: Morus are deciduous trees and shrubs with broadly ovate, sometimes deeply lobed leaves and inconspicuous green flowers followed by usually edible white, red or black fruit
Name Status: Accepted
Horticultural Group

Horticultural Classification Codes

Horticultural Classification Codes are often given to genera which have a large number of species or cultivars. They are used to categorise cultivated plants based on specific, shared characteristics such as shape, colour, size or flowering time, and can be displayed as letters or numbers

For example:
Dahlia ‘Sunset Kate (Sin) = Single flower
Rosa ‘Marigold’ (HT) = Hybrid Tea: Produces mulberries

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in moist, humus-rich, fertile soils with shelter from cold, dry winds. See mulberry cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by semi-hardwood cuttings in mid-summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Architectural
Cottage and informal garden
Wildlife gardens
Low Maintenance
Edible fruit

Pruning

Pruning group 1, in late autumn or early winter to avoid bleeding

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

May be susceptible to mulberry leaf spot, mulberry canker, coral spot, powdery mildews and honey fungus (rarely)