Pakistan Mulberry - Will it work near Dallas, Texas(zone 8a)?

I keep telling myself I don’t need anymore fruit trees. Well apparently I’m not listening. The Pakistan Mulberry is one tree that I really want, but I’m hesitant to plant for a few reasons that I hope y’all can help me out with.

  1. If it will successfully fruit each year. I’m not sure if Pakistan mulberry will work for my zone. I want the larger fruit with less mess, but if it won’t produce due to late freezes, there’s no point.

  2. Invasive roots. This tree will be less than 25 feet from my house. How invasive are the roots if pruned heavily?

  3. Pruning. Can this variety be kept less than 10 feet tall with pruning? I understand that any tree can be cut back, but can this variety of mulberry be pruned back heavily and still fruit?

You can definitely grow ‘Pakistan’ in Zone 8a, but fruit and young plants will be lost without some precautions. Young dormant trees will be killed to the ground (should still grow back if on its own roots) by cold lower than ~22 F, while a mature tree may withstand ~18 F. Your idea of pruning to less than ten feet is ideal (pruned tree will still bear well). Some people erect a frame (wood or PVC pine) to make covering with a tarp easy (use a fabric other than clear plastic so your plant isn’t cooked if you don’t remove the plastic). I use one or two 40 watt strands (100 bulbs) of mini Christmas tree lights wrapped around the base and lower branches of the plant under the tarp (incandescent, not LED) which provides enough heat for really cold nights but will not harm the plant or catch fire.
The roots won’t be a problem unless it is within 25 feet of a septic field.

3 Likes

Thank you @Livinginawe . Seems doable. I’m looking for a White Pakistan variety like Just Fruits And Exotics shows at this link:

http://www.justfruitsandexotics.com/JFE/product/king-white-pakistan-shahtoot-2/

Unfortunately, they seem to be out. If anyone knows of a source, I’d appreciate it.

Papaya Tree Nursery appears to have them but doesn’t list a price. If you are unable to get a plant I can send you some scion in early spring before bud break (I don’t have the White Shatoot myself but a neighbor does and he buys from JustFruitsandExotics exclusively).

1 Like

Thanks @Livinginawe . I’ll be sure to remember that in case I don’t have any luck finding a tree before then.

Just a heads up to those curious: I just received an email from Just Fruits and Exotics and they mentioned they no longer have a mother tree to take cuttings from to grow the White Pakistan Mulberry. Still on the lookout!

Update for those of you who might be looking for the White Pakistan. It looks like Trees of Antiquity has them.

Granted, I’ve never sampled any of the white-fruited mulberries that are out there in the nursery trade, but every ‘wild’ white-fruited one I’ve ever come across was definitely not worth sampling again, much less propagating. Almost all I’ve had were just slightly sweet, with no flavor, or, at best, a ‘grassy’ taste. Meh.
Give me a rich black/purple mulberry, any day.

2 Likes

I hear you @Lucky_P. I’m just running off of the few reviews I found on Youtube.

This lady seems to liken it to “a pot of honey”, which would be great.

If I don’t end up liking it, I’ll do as I do with my figs: Pot it up and sell it on Craigslist or Ebay. I’ll be sure to give y’all a nice report of how it turns out over the next few years.

1 Like

If you’re wondering what kind of tree Trees of Antiquity is shipping out, here you go. This is the White Pakistan Mulberry. I’m very surprised. I figured I’d be getting a scrawny whip that would need babying. This thing is a beast. This may not be its permanent spot, but for now it is in ground.

3 Likes

I keep bumping my own thread, so my apologies, but over at www.ourfigs.com someone mentioned that I need to take additional caution since this mulberry isn’t on its on roots. What do y’all think about burying the graft? Would that allow the scion to root out and resprout in case of a die back or kill the tree due to being buried too deep? Right now it is sitting with the graft 2 or so inches above the soil line.

Burying deep should be ok . I base this on doing some filling / bulldozer work and burying a local wild mulberry . It is still growing 20 years later . Yes it did send out roots as some are exposed at the surface .

1 Like

I’ve heard that TofA trees were always thick caliper and have good roots. Nice specimen. Good luck with it.

I have three pluots coming from Bay Laurel, I’m curious to see what shape they’ll be in. From what I’ve heard, they are pretty brutal on the roots. They told me in an email their trees are usually 5/8" thick, and about 3.5’ tall, so that’s good.

BTW, where are you in the Dallas area, if I may be so nosy? We lived in Wylie for 5 years before we moved up here. Before I got married, I lived in various areas in the east Metroplex for about 25 years.

1 Like

Hey @subdood_ky_z6b Little late reply, but I’m just past Rockwall, east of Dallas.

Here’s my red Pakistan mulberry that arrived today from Ison’s if anyone is curious about how they package their trees. This is the “instant orchard” tree. They were running a sale back in December and I snagged one up. I wasn’t sent a tracking number or any word that it was on the way. I thought that was odd…

It’s taller(about 7 feet with the roots, maybe more) than the white Pakistan from Trees of Antiquity, but they’re about the same girth. This one happens to have a few limbs attached vs none on the Trees of Antiquity white.

5 Likes

Nice tree!!! I’ve ordered muscadines from Ison’s and they send really nice muscadine plants but that is what they are known for so didn’t know what to expect from them on trees. They are a family run place though and one of the daughters is on a FB page and is very personable and contributes a lot. Glad to see they send nice trees.

1 Like

I almost grabbed some muscadines when I bought it, but I already have grapes growing(Champanel and Black Spanish) so I really don’t need more vines. I’m satisfied with the tree’s size. Now to keep it alive through whatever winter we may have left. I’m hoping this thing will give a little afternoon shade for my blackberries nearby during the growing season. Hopefully it works out and I don’t have to move it!

1 Like

OK, cool, very familiar where you’re at. We actually lived in Rockwall county, even tho it was still Wylie. Spent a lot of time in Rockwall, nice little place, even tho it’s growing crazy fast.

Your trees look very nice, hope they work out for you. Did you do any pruning on it? What’s the tree behind it, in the last pic? And am I seeing plants covered in tinfoil? Good to hear about Ison’s sending such quality products, I’ll keep them in mind in the future.

I guess it’s countdown time for my pluots from Bay Laurel, just a month to go, kinda exciting. It’s what is getting me through this cold weather right now, new trees and berry plants coming in.

1 Like

I just moved here about a year ago and even in that small amount of time, it’s crazy how many new communities have popped up. Great place to be though. I love it. No pruning. This is just how they arrived. Tree you see in the same row is a Methley Plum. That little sucker in the back with the foil on it is a fig tree - Ronde De Bordeaux. Trying to train it horizontally this next growing season for a specific look/growth habit(stepover). We’ll see if it works. Foil is to keep the rabbits from going at it.

Still waiting for my Ison’s Pakistan mulberry to leaf out. It’s green when scratched, but not a single leaf. Maybe it’s waiting on roots?

My white Pakistan has leafed out and is taking off! Should be well branched out in a few months.

That is a little odd…My Pakistan and white Pakistan both leafed out at the same time…but like you said “Maybe it’s waiting on roots”.