Espalier mulberry tree with ripening fruit

Espalier Mulberry (9 Top Reasons Why You Should Espalier Your Mulberry Tree In 2023!)

G’day Green Thumbs,

Mulberry trees, (Morus Nigra) are great trees to espalier! Why should you espalier Mulberry? We’ve got 13 great reasons here for you today. 

Sometimes referred to as fan-training fruit trees or you may have also heard the term trellising, Espalier is the process of training your fruit tree to grow along a wire or a frame. 

There are many benefits to espalier fruit trees and mulberry trees are one of the best fruit trees to espalier.

If you have a small backyard, espalier can really help you utilize ALL your space and produce more fruit! Why wouldn’t you?

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Ripe mulberry on tree

Mulberry Varieties Suit Espalier

Black Mulberry, sometimes called black-english mulberry, is one of the most common backyard varieties of Mulberry. However there’s also White Mulberry, Chinese Mulberry and dwarf mulberry varieties. All will suit Espalier. 

Espalier is the process of training your fruit tree to grow along a trellis. This could be a frame, tensioned wire or even a fence. 

Mulberry tree’s generally offer one or two strong leaders as a young plant. This allows you to Espalier your mulberry tree to create the shape you want. As you can see (pictured) we have one strong leader and trained our mulberry branches to grow horizontally. 

This is an ancient gardening technique and is considered an art-form. We agree, it does look striking.

Mulberries ripening on espalier mulberry tree

You’ll Have Easy To Pick Mulberries

One of the main benefits of Espalier Mulberry is that your fruit is trained to remain at an accessible height. 

This is perfect for kids wanting to harvest a tasty snack from the garden. It is also great for anyone wanting to be able to collect fruit without climbing a ladder or waiting for it to fall on the ground! (Our mulberries never make it to the ground!)

child holding two mulberries in her hands, ready to eat.

Protect Your Fruit From Birds

We have a few resident parrots that like to try and beat us to our fruit! Do you? They’re a bit cheeky. We espalier our fruit trees along our boundary fence. The fence itself offers protection from the birds.

They can’t easily access our fruit and can only get to ripening mulberries from one side. This leaves more mulberries for us to collect and enjoy!

It is also beneficial to espalier fruit trees even in a large orchard. This means if you are netting your orchard you can do so in neat rows, using less netting and protecting your fruit.

Train Your Mulberry Tree To Suit Your Space

You can really shape your fruit trees however you wish when you Espalier. You can create a wonderful arch or simply neat, horizontal lines. It’s best to consider the shape of your young tree before you train it so you can work with its leaders to best support its growth.

Espalier allows you to have evenly distributed weight which will make for a happy and healthy mulberry tree. A happy and healthy mulberry tree will produce lots of delicious, sweet fruit.

Growing A Mulberry Tree Suits Beginners To Espalier

If you’re a beginner to trellis gardening or espalier, a mulberry tree is a great tree for you to start with. 

They are fast growing and produce delicious fruit. It is important to secure your growing tree to its trellis or frame but allow some flexibility in the trunk and branches so they can grow without being injured. 

We use tensioned wire, secured to our fence and then carefully train our branches along the wire with flexible bounds.

mulberries waiting for harvest on established tree

Mulberry Trees Are Fast Growing

Mulberry tree’s grow relatively fast. This makes them perfect for filling a space in a garden. You will also get to reap the rewards of your Espalier efforts within a year or two. 

Even very young mulberry trees will produce fruit and apart from the initial shaping and minor pruning each year, not much work is required to maintain them. Win, win!

showing the strong horizontal branches on mulberry tree

You Can Espalier Mulberry Dwarf Varieties

Normal varieties of mulberry tree’s can grow up to about 6m. Dwarf varieties suit being fan-trained especially in small or normal residential backyards as they usually reach a height of about 3m. 

This keeps your fruit accessible and your tree easy to maintain.

You Can Use Mulberry Leaves

You can eat mulberry leaves yourself! Did you know that? Young mulberry leaves can be cooked and eaten and are also often made into tea.

Mulberry leaves have oodles of health benefits. They are,

  • Rich in protein
  • High in potassium
  • Can be used similar to asian greens in recipes

Mulberry leaves are also the sole food of silkworms. Silkworms are often kept by kids as pets and to observe their life cycle. 

Silkworms feed off mulberry leaves. If you’re thinking about keeping silkworms with your children, you best plant a mulberry tree now!

bowl of picked mulberries held in adults hand

Kids LOVE Mulberries

C’mon, who doesn’t love sweet, delicious and nutritious fruit. Our kids love picking ripe mulberries straight from the tree; however mulberries are also fantastic in deserts and jams. 

I’m quite partial to a mulberry compote over vanilla ice-cream myself.

However nothing beats being in the backyard with your children, watching them enjoy harvesting fruit from tree’s you’ve grown yourself. 

mulberries on pancakes with juice beside the plate.

FAQ’s

Can Dogs Eat Mulberry?

Mulberries are safe for dogs to eat. Mulberry fruit is not toxic to dogs however it is not recommended to let them eat too many. This is because mulberries contain some insoluble fibres which can cause an upset stomach in dogs due to their delicate digestive system.

Let’s face it though, will there ever be any mulberries left for the dog with kids around?

Can Any Fruit Tree Be Espalier?

You need to look for fruit trees that have branches easy to train. 

Generally woody varieties are suitable for Espalier. Apple, pear and citrus are popular varieties to Espalier but really if you’re willing to put the initial effort into training and pruning you can espalier almost anything.

How Far Apart Should Espalier Fruit Trees Be Planted?

It really depends on how much space you want to give the branches to grow horizontally. Generally around 3m is suitable for most fruit trees to have space to grow and produce fruit. 

What’s An Australian Mulberry?

The Australian Native Mulberry (Pipturus Argenteus) is a non-stinging nettle found in QLD subtropical rainforests. 

It produces juicy, delicious fruit that is similar to strawberries in that it bears seeds on the outside. The fruit is white in color but can appear translucent.

Australian Native mulberries like warm temperatures and high rainfall. They will not do well in dry conditions. 

Besides the yummy fruit, an Australian mulberry will attract bees, insect, lizards and birds to your garden and generally grow between 3m and 8m tall. They can be carefully shaped with clever pruning to create the design you desire.

How Can You Get A Mulberry Stain Out Of Clothes?

You’ll find all sorts of advice on how to get mulberry stains out of clothes. My top tip is vinegar or lemon juice. Generally these acids are effective in breaking down plant-based stains. 

Place the lemon juice, slices or vinegar on the stain for 5-10 minutes before washing the item. Dry in direct sunlight.

So there you have it folks!

If you’re beginning your Espalier fruit tree journey. Espalier Mulberry is a great place to start. 

There are many varieties, all suitable for Espalier and they produce delicious, sweet mulberries. 

Mulberries are packed full of beneficial nutrients and are the perfect for kids to enjoy straight from the tree. They can also be harvested and shared amongst the neighborhood or made into deserts or jam. 

I personally have childhood memories of being covered in mulberry stains and I know my kids will too! What fun!

So, Let’s Get Digging!