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🚚 Shipping Update:
We’re now shipping nationwide across the continental U.S. again! 🌱
📦 Please note: Shipping to California remains paused due to agricultural regulations.
🌳 Unryu Corkscrew Mulberry (Morus alba ‘Unryu’) — A Twisting, Fruiting Work of Art!
Sculptural, conversation-starting, and deliciously useful — this rare mulberry turns every season into a show. Its dragon-like, zig-zag branches create living art while the tree rewards you with sweet, deep-purple berries. Grow it as a compact edible specimen, a patio focal point, or an eye-catching bonsai-style container tree.
Arrives in a 4" container
🌿 Quick Facts (At a Glance)
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Botanical Name | Morus alba ‘Unryu’ |
| Plant Type | Deciduous fruiting tree (ornamental + edible) |
| Size (Ships In) | 4" pot |
| Mature Size (Unpruned) | 20–30 ft tall × 15–40 ft wide (can be larger on ideal sites) |
| Managed Size (With Pruning) | Typically maintained 8–15 ft for home landscapes and containers |
| USDA Zones | Reliably hardy in 5–8; can succeed in 4 with protection; performance varies in 9 |
| Sun Requirements | Full sun (best fruit & form) |
| Cold Hardiness | Hardy to at least Zone 5; withstands winter lows typical of temperate climates |
| Growth Habit | Contorted, zig-zag “corkscrew” branching with semi-weeping canopy |
| Spacing | 8–10 ft (intensive/managed) • 15–20+ ft if allowed to size up |
| Origin of Cultivar | Selected in Japan; name references its twisted/contorted form |
🍇 Fruit Like You’ve Never Tasted Before
Unryu produces small-to-medium, deep purple berries that are mild, sweet, and juicy — great for fresh snacking, jams, oatmeal/ice cream toppers, dehydrating, and kid-approved garden grazing. Expect lighter crops than standard mulberries (this cultivar is prized first for its form), but the fruit is edible and fun to harvest. Northern/Midwest harvest typically July–September; in Florida and the Southeast, fruiting generally arrives late spring into early summer.
Nutritional note: Mulberries are naturally rich in anthocyanins and other polyphenols, plus vitamin C and iron — delicious and functional.
Tip for better yields: Annual size-control pruning (details below) stimulates new fruiting wood and maintains a compact, productive shape.
🎨 A Garden Sculpture That Bears Fruit
“Unryu” is celebrated for S-curved, calligraphic twigs that read like ink strokes against winter skies, then soften under bright green leaves in spring and summer before warming to yellow in fall — true four-season interest.
Design ideas
- Front-yard focal tree or entry accent
- Japanese-inspired or modern minimalist gardens
- Patio container “bonsai-style” specimen
- Edible landscape where art meets utility
🌱 Wellness, History & Name Story
Mulberries have centuries of culinary and herbal use across Asia and the Mediterranean. The ‘Unryu’ selection originated in Japan; the name translates to “dragon in the clouds” — inspired by the twisted branches that seem to dance through the air.
🌾 Seasonal Habits (What to Expect Through the Year)
- Spring: Bud-break, a flush of new shoots, and the start of fruit formation on new growth.
- Late Spring–Summer: Fruit ripens to deep purple; foliage is lush and green. In Florida, this happens earlier due to warmer temperatures.
- Fall: Leaves turn yellow and begin to drop — a normal part of dormancy for deciduous trees.
- Winter: The tree rests. Bare branches highlight its sculptural, twisted form — perfect for winter garden interest.
🌟 Top Benefits & Uses
- Edible + ornamental in one compact tree
- Cold-hardy and fast-growing once established
- Wildlife value: nectar/pollen for insects; fruit for birds
- Kid-friendly and easy to harvest
- Perfect for container or small-space landscapes
🧺 Culinary Uses
- Fresh snacking
- Homemade jams and preserves
- Baked goods, cobblers, and galettes
- Smoothies, yogurt, and oatmeal toppers
- Dried for snacks or teas
🪴 Container & Patio Growing
Unryu adapts beautifully to containers with regular care and root management. Use a large, well-draining pot (about 20" wide and deep) with soil-based mix. Refresh soil annually and root-prune every 2–3 years to maintain vigor and size. Place in full sun outdoors — not suited for long-term indoor growth.
Suggested potting sizes:
- For 4" starter → 3–5 gallon pot
- For 1-gallon plant → 7–10 gallon pot
🌍 Where It Thrives
- Sun: Full sun (6–8+ hours daily)
- Soil: Well-draining, moderately fertile
- Spacing: 8–10 ft if pruned; 15–20+ ft unpruned
- Zones: 5–8 (cold-hardy); 4 with protection; 9 in cooler microclimates
🧑🌾 Best Practices for Planting & Care
Where to plant: Full sun and well-draining soil. Avoid areas where fruit drop might stain hard surfaces.
GreenDreams “High & Tight” Method:
- Dig a hole only slightly wider than the pot and the same depth.
- Set the plant so the top of the root ball sits 1–2" above the soil line.
- Backfill with native soil and compost, firming gently.
- Mulch with hardwood chips, keeping mulch 2–3" away from the trunk.
- Water daily for the first week, then 1–2× per week for the first season.
Florida note: In warm regions, Unryu fruits earlier and may appear bare or leafless during dormancy — this is completely normal.
✂️ Pruning Tips
Mulberries “bleed” sap if pruned at the wrong time. To keep your Unryu happy:
- Prune during late fall to mid-winter (dormant season).
- Avoid heavy pruning in early spring or late summer.
- Tip-prune in summer to shape the canopy.
- Maintain height between 8–12 ft for easy fruit access.
🍂 Seasonal Notes & Shipping Information
Because this plant is deciduous and climate-sensitive, it may not always look “perfect” year-round:
- Fall/Winter: In Florida and similar climates, Unryu and other mulberries may drop their leaves or show minor leaf spotting — this is a normal seasonal cycle.
- Excess Rain: During wet seasons, leaves may develop harmless spotting. Simply remove affected leaves; fresh, healthy growth follows quickly.
- Dormancy: If shipped during its leafless phase, don’t worry — the plant is alive and ready to flush out again in spring warmth.
🧰 Troubleshooting Guide
Yellowing or spotted leaves: Often due to excess moisture or natural seasonal cycles — trim affected leaves and improve air flow.
Weak fruiting: Prune annually, ensure full sun, and feed with compost or organic fertilizer in spring.
Sap bleeding: Always prune when dormant.
Fruit drop in heat: Deep-water weekly during dry spells and maintain mulch for root cooling.
Branch breakage: Handle gently — twisted limbs can be fragile.
Pests: Rare; occasionally scale or whitefly — treat with neem oil or insecticidal soap.
⚠️ Cautions
- Dropped fruit can stain patios or concrete.
- Fragile branches may snap if bent — support young plants in windy sites.
- Avoid planting in soggy soils or heavy shade.
🌟 Is This Tree Right for You?
✅ Ideal for:
Gardeners who appreciate form and function, edible landscape enthusiasts, small yards, container gardeners, and collectors of rare ornamentals.
❌ Not Ideal for:
Tropical growers in zones 9b–11, wet lowland areas, or anyone seeking heavy mulberry production (choose a standard fruiting cultivar instead).
🚚 Shipping & Local Pickup
Shipping Sizes: 4" and 1-gallon live plants. Larger sizes often available for pickup.
Shipping Regions: Best for Florida, the Southeastern US & Texas.
We also ship nationwide using UPS Ground every Monday.
Please note: During peak heat or cold, plants may arrive stressed and need recovery. Buyers in northern and western states should use discretion when ordering.
Local Pickup:
📍 GreenDreams Nursery & Farm
18709 US Hwy. 41, Spring Hill, FL 34610
Tues–Fri 9AM–5PM | Sat 8AM–3PM
Come see what’s fresh 🌿
🧠 FAQ
Does ‘Unryu’ really fruit?
Yes! While lighter yielding than standard mulberries, Unryu’s fruit is sweet, edible, and ornamental.
Why is my Unryu leafless?
It’s deciduous — the leaves drop in fall and return in spring.
When should I prune?
Late fall through mid-winter to avoid sap loss.
Can I grow it in a pot?
Yes, in a large, well-draining pot outdoors in full sun.
What’s the best soil?
Well-draining, loamy soil with organic matter and a top layer of hardwood mulch.
🏡 Beyond the Plant: GreenDreams Services
At GreenDreams, we do more than grow plants — we design, build, and restore ecosystems across Florida.
- 🌳 Onsite consultations & edible landscape design
- 🌾 Installation & project management
- 🚚 Bulk delivery of compost, mulch, biochar & soil materials
- 🌱 Wholesale & regenerative plant sourcing
Let our team help you create your own thriving edible paradise — starting with the Unryu Corkscrew Mulberry! 🌿
🌐 Sources
- Oregon State University – Morus alba ‘Unryu’ profile
- Missouri Botanical Garden – Morus alba ‘Unryu’
- University of Florida IFAS – Mulberry culture in Florida
- Royal Horticultural Society – Growing mulberries
- Colorado State University Extension – Pruning & sap bleeding prevention
- NIH/PMC Review – Nutritional constituents of 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.
