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["Brungardt, Sam (MPCA)" <sam.brungardt@state.mn.us>]

Yes, Oikos does describe 'Kokuso' as being M. nigra.  However, Forest Farm, 
which also propagates many desirable species and cultivars, describes 
'Kokuso' as being M. alba.

Apparently, there are a number of Kokuso selections.  The Sericulture 
Experiment Station-Vratsa (Bulgaria) lists four: 20, 21, 27, and 70.  It 
describes 'Kokuso 20', 'Kokuso 21' and 'Kokuso 70' as M. latifolia and 
'Kokuso 27' as M. alba. (Some taxonomic experts say that M. latifolia is the 
same as M. alba.)

To shed more light on the development of the Kokuso cultivars, see the paper, 
"Mulberry breeding, cultivation and utilization in Japan" at 
http://www.fao.org/docrep/005/X9895E/x9895e05.htm.

And the description of whatever Kokuso cultivar that's being propagated and 
sold in the USA varies quite a bit, with some nurseries claiming it is more 
hardy than some well-known hardy cultivars.  For example, Burnt Ridge Nursery 
says: "Dark fruited Korean variety. Earlier ripening than Illinois 
[Everbearing] with very high quality firm fruit. Reportedly even hardier than 
Illinois Everbearing and grown even farther North, up into Minnesota."

I would guess that the Kokuso cultivar being propagated in the USA is Kokuso 
20, since that is the only Kokuso cultivar in the inventory of the USDA's 
National Clonal Germplasm Respository for Fruit and Nut Crops at Davis, 
Calif.  See http://www.ars.usda.gov/Main/docs.htm?docid=12835 .

Sam Brungardt, St. Paul, Minn. (USDA Hardiness Zone 4a)

-----Original Message-----
From: nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org 
[mailto:nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Matt Demmon
Sent: Saturday, April 06, 2013 7:17 AM
To: nafex mailing list at ibiblio
Subject: Re: [nafex] Morus nigra

We'll see! I think I trust Oikos to get species right, they grow a pretty 
extensive list and seem pretty on top of things. I did have a 'Kokuso'
mulberry for a while, that was supposed to be M. nigra, although I've heard 
various things about it. It did fruit, and the fruit was the tastiest 
mulberry I've ever had, and the leaves and buds didn't look like any other 
mulberry I've seen, but I don't know if it was M. nigra. It suffered winter 
damage every year and finally kicked it after 4 seasons.

-matt
z5 se MI


On Fri, Apr 5, 2013 at 8:11 AM, Lee Reich 
<leeareich@gmail.com<mailto:leeareich@gmail.com>> wrote:

> My guess is that they are not truly M. nigra. I've looked into this
> extensively and never heard of the plant being this hardy. If it is,
> and if you get fruit, you're in for a taste treat, one of the
> best-tasting of all fruits. Her in my zone 5, I grow it in a pot,
> brought indoors for winter, and in a greenhouse.
>
> Lee Reich, PhD
> Come visit my farmden at http://leereich.blogspot.com/
> http://leereich.com/
>
> Books by Lee Reich:
> A Northeast Gardener's Year
> The Pruning Book
> Weedless Gardening
> Uncommon Fruits for Every Garden
> Landscaping with Fruit
> Grow Fruit Naturally
>
> On Apr 5, 2013, at 6:59 AM, Matt Demmon wrote:
>
> > I've just gotten some black mulberries (M. nigra) from Oikos they
> > claim
> are
> > hardy in zone 5. My fingers are crossed. However, I'm trying to
> > figure
> out
> > where to put them. My two questions are: Do they get as big as M. alba?
> I'm
> > guessing not. And can you harvest them by shaking the tree like with M.
> > alba, or do they not detach as easily when ripe? If I can shake them
> onto a
> > sheet, I'll put them in a mown area, if not, I probably won't.
> >
> > Thanks for the help! Spring is finally coming to the north. Ground
> > is thawed enough to dig holes just this week.
> >
> > -matt
> > z5 se MI
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