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🍇 Shangri-La Mulberry (Morus alba × rubra) — 1-Gallon Size 🌿
Florida-born, fast-fruiting, and family-friendly. Selected on the Gulf Coast for big, blackberry-colored berries, huge heart-shaped leaves, and easy, compact growth, Shangri-La brings fast gratification to Florida and the Southeast—and plenty of charm to any edible landscape.
🌿 Quick Facts (Buyer’s Cheat Sheet)
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Morus ‘Shangri-La’ (M. alba × M. rubra) |
| Plant Type | Deciduous fruit tree • Self-fertile (no pollinator needed) |
| Size at Sale (Ships In) | 1-gallon container (nursery-grown, established roots) |
| Mature Height × Width | 10–20 ft × 12–20 ft (maintain 8–12 ft with pruning) |
| USDA Zones | 7–10 (Florida-proven; thrives in warm, humid regions) |
| Sun Requirements | Full sun (6–8+ hrs/day; tolerates light shade) |
| Cold Hardiness | Suited to Zone 7 winters; deciduous habit adds resilience |
| Growth Rate / Habit | Fast-growing, small tree; huge, heart-shaped leaves; easy to shape |
| Spacing | 12–20 ft (or 8–10 ft as hedgerow with regular pruning) |
🍇 Fruit & Flavor (What You’ll Taste)
- Flavor profile: Sweet to sweet-tart, blackberry-like, juicy, richly colored
- Fruit size: Typically ~1–1.5 in, plump, easy to pick
- Florida harvest window: Late winter/early spring → late spring, often extended into summer in warm years
- Fruiting habit & yield: Self-fertile; generous crops (home trees commonly 15–25+ lbs once established)
- Boost fruit set: Full sun, even moisture during bloom & fruit swell, and light summer tipping to renew fruiting wood
Pro tip: After the main harvest, hard post-harvest pruning (“stress pruning”) can trigger a 2nd or sometimes 3rd crop in long warm seasons—keep the tree 8–12 ft for easy family picking.
🌸 Why Choose Shangri-La?
- Florida-selected: Bred for humidity, heat, and sandy soils—a natural in Gulf & Atlantic climates.
- Fast gratification: Often bears young and abundantly with minimal pest pressure.
- Edible + ornamental: The huge leaves give instant tropical vibes and summer shade.
- Kid-approved flavor: Sweet, juicy fruit for snacks, smoothies, and cobblers.
- Low-input, organic-friendly: Thrives with mulch, compost, and chop-and-drop—no harsh chemicals needed.
⚠️ Expect natural cycles: Mulberries are deciduous. Leaf yellowing, spotting, or partial defoliation (after rains, shipping, or pruning) is normal—followed by vigorous regrowth with warmth and sun.
🪴 Container & Patio Strategy
- Step-up path: 1-gal → 7–10 gal patio pot → up to 15 gal for higher patio production
- Height in pots: Maintain 6–8 ft with annual thinning & tip-pruning
- Indoors? Not long-term. Use a moveable patio pot: grow outdoors in sun; roll to protection for frost events
- Soil: Rich, well-draining mix (compost + chunky bark/perlite)
🌾 Seasonal Habits (Florida & Similar Climates)
- Fall: Leaves yellow & drop—normal dormancy
- Winter: Bare structure = main pruning window
- Spring: Flush of growth + flowers + fruit set
- Summer: Extend harvest in warm years; tip-prune to shape and renew fruiting wood
🧑🌾 Best Practices for Planting & Care
Where to Plant
Full sun, well-drained soil; tolerates sandy Florida sites and coastal wind once established. Site away from driveways/patios—fallen fruit can stain.
How to Plant — GreenDreams “High & Tight”
- Dig hole only slightly wider than the pot; set root ball at or slightly above grade (root flare visible).
- Backfill firmly with native soil (you may blend compost around—but not over—the root flare).
- Water in thoroughly.
- Mulch 2–3″ with hardwood chips, keeping mulch off the trunk.
▶️ Watch: GreenDreams “High & Tight” Fruit Tree Planting Video — https://youtu.be/RRQFY30qdA8?si=rRIcsbLlVAVYotfI
Watering
- Establishment: Daily light watering for week 1 → 2–3×/week for 6–8 weeks
- First year: Deep weekly in dry spells
- Mature: Water during bloom & fruit swell; otherwise drought-tolerant once established
- Containers: Keep evenly moist in heat; never waterlog
Feeding
- Spring: Balanced organic fertilizer or compost top-dress; avoid high nitrogen (promotes leaves over fruit).
- Keep a chop-and-drop mulch ring for slow-release fertility.
Pruning (Simple & Effective)
- Late winter: Structural thinning to 8–12 ft for manageable picking height
- Early summer: Tip-prune vigorous shoots to stimulate branching & next-flush fruiting wood; remove crossing suckers
- Post-harvest: A hard cutback can trigger bonus crops in long warm seasons
- Bleeding caution: Save big structural cuts for dormancy to minimize sap flow
Cold & Wind
Hardy in USDA 7–10. Young trees appreciate windbreaks; mulch before hard freezes.
🌼 Companion & Support Guild (Regenerative Fertility)
- Nitrogen fixers: Pigeon Pea, Sunn Hemp (summer)—feed soil & support vigor
- Biomass makers: Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia), Fakahatchee Grass—perfect chop-and-drop carbon/nitrogen pairing
- Pollinator power: Blue Porterweed, African Blue Basil—increase pollinator visits & fruit set
- Aesthetic partners: Bananas, Chaya, Turmeric—layered tropical look & staggered harvests
Chop-and-Drop in 10 seconds: Cut companion biomass and drop it under the tree. The green (N) + brown (C) mix becomes free, slow-release fertility, improves moisture retention, and fuels soil life—no synthetic inputs required.
Kitchen Ideas & Use
Use like blackberries—fresh bowls, yogurt, oatmeal, smoothies, jams, cobblers, pies, syrups, sorbets, and freezer sauces.
Freezer tip: Freeze in a single layer, then bag for year-round smoothies.
Origin story: Developed in Naples, Florida, Shangri-La was selected for large dark fruit, huge leaves, and humidity tolerance—named for a “paradise of abundance.”
Troubleshooting (Florida & Beyond)
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Organic Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Birds beat you to fruit | Wildlife love mulberries | Harvest daily; use netting if needed |
| Staining fruit drop | Ripe fruit + gravity | Site away from hardscape; maintain 8–12 ft canopy |
| Lots of leaves, little fruit | High N / low sun / under-pruned | Increase sun, reduce N, tip-prune after harvest |
| Leaf spotting in rains | Humid season cosmetic issue | Remove worst leaves; improve airflow; new growth follows |
| Drought stress in pots | Small volume dries fast | Up-pot gradually; mulch; deep water in heat |
| Cold snaps (Zone 7) | Tender growth at risk | Mulch roots; wrap young trunks if <20°F forecast |
| Root-knot nematodes (sandy soils) | Common in FL sands | Sunn Hemp cover crop; compost + mulch; raised beds/containers |
⚠️ Cautions
- Fruit stains hardscape—site smartly.
- Wildlife magnet—harvest promptly.
- Keep mulch off trunk; don’t plant too deep.
🌟 Is Shangri-La Right for You?
✅ Ideal for: Home orchardists, edible landscapers, food-forest builders, Florida/Southeast growers wanting quick results.
❌ Not ideal for: Northern growers without winter protection; anyone who dislikes some natural wildlife “sharing.”
🚚 Shipping & Handling
- Best ship sizes: 4″ & 1-gallon travel best to Florida, the Southeast & Texas
- Nationwide shipping: Available via UPS Ground (ships Mondays); northern & western orders may need recovery time after transit
- Weather disclaimer: Buyer discretion during peak heat/cold; we’re not responsible for temperature-related stress in transit
Local Pickup (Tampa Bay Area)
GreenDreams Nursery & Farm
18709 US Hwy. 41, Spring Hill, FL 34610
Tues–Fri 9 AM–5 PM | Sat 8 AM–3 PM
Come see what’s fresh 🌿
🌸 Mulberry Variety Comparison Guide — GreenDreams Collection
| Cultivar | Zones / Cold Resilience | Mature / Pruned Size | Flavor Profile | Fruit Size | Leaf Size | Why It’s Special |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thai Dwarf | 6–10 / ~15°F | 12–15 ft / 6–8 ft | Sweet-tart, blueberry-raspberry | Med (1–1.5″) | Medium | Compact, container-friendly, fruits fast |
| World’s Best | 7–10 / ~10–15°F | 12–15 ft / 6–8 ft | Rich, jammy, blackberry-like | Med (1–1.5″) | Med-lg | Early fruit, bold flavor, easy pruning |
| Hunter | 7–10 / ~10–15°F | 20–25 ft / 6–8 ft | Bold, jammy | Large (1.5–2″) | Broad | Heavy producer; jam/juice star |
| Shangri-La | 7–10 / ~10°F | 10–20 ft / 8–12 ft | Sweet to sweet-tart, blackberry-like | Med (1–1.5″) | Very large, heart-shaped | Florida-born; fast fruit & tropical foliage |
| Pakistani | 8–10 / ~20°F | 25–30 ft / 10–12 ft | Honey-sweet, low acid | Very long (3–4″) | Large, velvety | Gourmet, longest berries |
| Shangri-La | 7–10 / ~10°F | 10–20 ft / 8–12 ft | Sweet-tart, juicy | Med (1–1.5″) | Very large | FL-selected; lush canopy |
| Everbearing | 7–10 / ~15°F | 15–20 ft / 6–10 ft | Tangy-sweet, reliable | Small-med (≈1″) | Medium | Long window; multiple flushes |
| 6th Street | 7–10 / ~10°F | 20 ft / 8–10 ft | Balanced, mild-sweet | Med (1–1.25″) | Medium | Florida-adapted, dependable |
| Tice | 8–10 / ~20°F | 20–30 ft / 8–12 ft | Sweet with tang | Med-lg (≈1.5″) | Large, tropical look | FL heirloom; fast shade + crops |
| Unryu | 5–8 / cold-hardy | 20–30 ft / 8–12 ft | Mild-sweet, juicy | Small–med | Medium | Sculptural corkscrew branches |
| White Mulberry | 5–9 / ~-10°F | 30–40 ft / 10–15 ft | Delicately sweet | Med (≈1″) | Large, glossy | Super cold-hardy; mild flavor |
🌱 Why collect more than one? Extend your harvest window, diversify flavors, and balance heavy producers (Shangri-La, Hunter, Tice) with ornamental stars (Unryu) for year-round interest.
🌿 Beyond the Plant: GreenDreams Services
We do more than sell trees—we design, build, and restore edible ecosystems across Florida.
- 🌳 On-site consultations & edible landscape design
- 🏗️ Installation & project management
- 🚚 Bulk delivery of compost, mulch, biochar & soil materials
- 🌾 Wholesale & regenerative solutions
Let our team help you create your own thriving edible paradise—starting with Shangri-La Mulberry! 🌿
IMPORTANT INFORMATION BEFORE PURCHASING LIVE PLANTS:
*Please be advised that our online store selections are NOT available for pickup at our retail location in Spring Hill, Florida.
Inventory for our online store is located at a separate facility and are priced and handled exclusively for packaging & shipping.
Click here to learn more about our Spring Hill, FL retail nursery location, including countless more nursery selections ready for pickup - larger sizes and wider variety of plants not suitable for nationwide delivery.
1. Shipping Stress: Transportation can be stressful for plants, particularly when they spend several days in a confined, dark environment. It’s common for plants to experience leaf drop during this period. Rest assured, most plants typically recover quickly and thrive with minimal aftercare. However, some may need extra attention, love, and care, requiring appropriate watering and exposure to gentle light post-unboxing.
2. Potential Physical Damage: Despite our dedicated efforts to ensure that your plants are securely packaged, they may incur damage during shipping and handling by UPS. Rest assured, our shipping team is committed to packing your selections with utmost care and precision to minimize any potential harm.
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For significant box damage, please reach out to UPS within 30 days to initiate a claim.
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For minor damages, such as a broken branch or stem, we advise allowing the plant time to recover and regenerate with proper care and attention.
3. Long-Distance Shipping Considerations: Orders shipped over long distances, particularly to the western US, may take 3 - 5 business days to arrive due to various factors, including agricultural inspections in Arizona, California, and Texas. Such extended transit times can be particularly challenging for tender, young plants, affecting their quality due to prolonged confinement.
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We take additional measures during packaging to facilitate a swift recovery of the plants upon unboxing.
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Initial extra care and attention might be required over the first few weeks post-transport.
For further guidance, kindly review our detailed policies on returns and refunds, as well as our comprehensive plant care guide. We appreciate your understanding and patience in nurturing your new plants.
🌿 Important Shipping Information
Please take a moment to review our shipping protocols designed to ensure your plants arrive in optimal condition.
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Countdown Clock: At the top of our online store, you'll notice a countdown clock. This tool helps communicate our weekly shipping schedule, providing clarity on when you can expect your orders to be dispatched.
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Shipping Schedule: Our nursery, located in the heart of Central Florida, ships orders once weekly, every Monday. This is a strategic decision to prevent packages from being stationary over the weekends, ensuring that our plants travel as swiftly as possible across the country, even reaching as far as California.
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Shipping Method: At present, we offer ground shipping rates to meet various needs while maintaining the well-being of our plants during transit.
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Our Dedicated Team: We are a boutique nursery with a passionate team. Our members wear many hats, contributing to shipping, nursery operations, and engaging in valuable local projects. As we blossom and expand, rest assured that enhancing and streamlining our processes remains a priority to serve you better
Terms and Conditions for Purchasing Live Plants
1. Understanding of Shipping Stress
By purchasing live plants from our store, the customer acknowledges that transportation can be stressful for plants. It is common for plants to undergo leaf drop or experience other temporary issues during shipping. However, it is understood that most plants recover quickly with adequate care and attention post-shipping.
2. Awareness of Potential Physical Damage
Customers acknowledge that despite our best efforts in packaging, there may be occurrences of damage during shipping and handling. For substantial damages to the package, customers agree to contact UPS within 30 days to initiate a claim.
3. Acknowledgement of Long-Distance Shipping Considerations
Customers recognize that shipments, especially those directed to the western US, may be subjected to longer shipping durations of 3-5 business days. Customers agree to provide necessary care to the plants, recognizing that the quality of the plants may be affected due to prolonged shipping times.
4. Agreement with Shipping Information and Schedule
Customers, by making a purchase, have reviewed and agreed upon our shipping protocols and schedules. They acknowledge the presence of a countdown clock on the website and our once-weekly shipping policy every Monday, recognizing the rationale behind avoiding weekend layovers for the plants.
5.Extreme Weather Conditions
Customers acknowledge that our store is not responsible for damage or loss of live plants due to extreme weather conditions during transit and delivery. This includes exposure to cold or freezing temperatures during the winter months and extreme heat during the summer. We provide tracking information when orders are processed every Monday to ensure customers are aware of the delivery schedule. It is the customer's responsibility to prevent packages from being left outside in conditions that may cause damage. Our store does not accept responsibility for any adverse effects caused by weather conditions beyond our control.
6. No Refund Policy
Customers agree that refunds are only processed under exceptional circumstances. Our store will not be held responsible for poor plant choices relative to location suitability, extreme conditions during and/or post-shipment, and improper post-purchase plant care.
7. Responsibility of Care
Upon purchase, customers agree to assume full responsibility for the ongoing care of the plants. This includes, but is not limited to, appropriate watering, exposure to suitable light, and adherence to specific care instructions pertinent to each plant type.
8. Consent
By proceeding with this purchase, customers consent to all the terms and conditions stated above, confirming understanding and agreement to all stipulations mentioned.
These terms and conditions aim to ensure clarity, mutual understanding, and agreement between the seller and the customer to facilitate a smooth transaction and foster a positive customer experience.
