Carman Mulberry Trees

• Variety: Carman, a white-fruited mulberry
• Latin name: Morus alba 'Carman'
• Type: White mulberry, a North American hybrid of Morus alba and Morus rubra
• Fruit: Large, creamy-white and sweet. Ripens over a week or two in August
• Self-fertile: Yes. One tree is enough
• Cropping: From a very young tree
• RHS Award of Garden Merit: No
• Sold as: Pot-grown in a 12 litre pot, on its own roots
• Mature size: Around 6m (20ft) tall. Winter pruning keeps it to garden scale
• Best soil and site: Fertile, well-drained soil. Full sun, sheltered from cold, drying winds
• Pruning: Only when fully dormant, from leaf fall to midwinter. It bleeds if cut in spring
• Hardiness: Hardy. The RHS rates the species H5
• Delivered: Pot-grown, all year when in stock. Collection from Castle Cary also available

Carman is a white-fruited mulberry, a self-fertile North American hybrid that reaches around 6m and crops from a very young tree. Its large, creamy-white fruit ripens in August and is sweeter than a black mulberry's, without the sharp edge.

Carman Mulberry Trees: White Fruit Without the Wait

Most mulberries ask for patience, and a seedling black mulberry can take a decade to fruit. Carman is a named Canadian selection from Ernie Grimo of Grimo Nut Nursery in Ontario, who calls it his sweetest large white mulberry, and it fruits as a very young tree. The fruit is large and creamy-white, and it ripens over a week or two in August rather than all summer.

"White" describes the fruit here. Most trees of the white mulberry species, Morus alba, bear dark fruit, so the name alone promises nothing. Carman's really is pale, which is why the blackbirds are slower to find it.

It is a proper tree of around 6m, so give it full sun, fertile well-drained soil, room to spread and shelter from cold, drying winds. It comes from Ontario winters, and the RHS rates the species H5, so a British winter is not the worry. Prune it only when fully dormant, between leaf fall and midwinter, because it bleeds if cut in spring. Once the shape is set it needs very little.

Picking Carman Mulberries: Spread a Sheet and Shake

Mulberries bruise and stain when picked by hand, black or white. Lay a sheet under the tree and shake the boughs instead: anything ripe drops, and you have not bruised a fruit.

Planting Companions

Plant spring bulbs under the canopy while the tree is young. Snowdrops and ivyleaf cyclamen both suit the shade under a tree, and our spring flowering bulbs offer more choice. Use a hand trowel, because a mulberry resents having its roots cut and you should never dig a bed beneath it. For a black-and-white pair, the Chelsea Mulberry crops in August too and wants the same sun and shelter.

Why buy from Ashridge?

Ashridge Nurseries has sold trees since 1949 and holds the Feefo Platinum Trusted Service Award. Carman arrives pot-grown on its own roots, one of our fruit trees. Delivered leafless between November and March, it is guaranteed for 12 months, and real people answer the phone in Somerset.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Carman Mulberry self-fertile?

Yes. One tree crops on its own and needs no partner.

Does Carman really have white fruit?

Yes: large and creamy-white. Most white mulberry trees bear dark fruit, so the species name promises nothing. Carman is one of the few that delivers.

What is the difference between a white and a black mulberry?

They are different species. A black mulberry such as Chelsea has dark, sharp-sweet, staining fruit and takes decades to look old. Carman is a white-fruited North American hybrid: larger, paler, sweeter and quicker into crop.

When do you pick Carman mulberries?

In August. They ripen over a week or two, so lay a sheet under the tree and shake the boughs. Anything ripe drops, and nothing is bruised.

How big does a Carman Mulberry grow?

Around 6m, so a proper tree and not a bush. Winter pruning keeps it to garden scale.

How long before a Carman Mulberry fruits?

Not long. Carman crops from a very young tree, which beats a seedling black mulberry by years.

Can you grow a Carman Mulberry in a pot?

For a few years, yes. For life, no: the 12 litre pot is a starter, not a home. Plant it out in the ground once it outgrows the pot.