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Russian White Mulberry vs Illini Hardy Blackberry
Morus alba tatarica
Rubus fruticosus Illini Hardy
NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON
NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON
Russian White Mulberry is a cold hardy and adaptable tree. It is a great choice for the impatient gardener as it reaches its mature height in a short period of time and has an attractive, dense, and rounded form.
Odd looking berries are produced among a backdrop of glossy, deep green foliage. The blackberry-esque berries ripen slowly over the season, ranging in color from white, pink, and purple-violet. While the berries are not well regarded for fresh eating, they have made tasty jams and preserves.
The Illini Hardy Blackberry was developed in Illinois for northern growers, and produces a large, juicy blackberry with medium-sweet flavor. The berries are ready for harvest in midsummer, and go great in preserves.
The Illini Hardy Blackberry, or the Illinois Blackberry, are floricanes, primarily fruiting on second year canes. Each spring cut back all two-year old canes, leaving only the last year’s growth. This is a self-pollinating variety, so it doesn’t require a second plant nearby to set fruit.