Editing Morus nigra (section)

== Flowering, fruiting, and harvest ==

Black mulberry is generally self-fertile, so one established tree can produce fruit.<sup id="cite_ref-6">[[#cite_note-6|[6]]]</sup> Small flowers appear in spring, followed by aggregate fruits that change from red to glossy black as they mature.<sup>[[#cite_note-6|[6]]]</sup> The fruits are ready when they are fully coloured, soft, and juicy; firm red fruits are not yet at their best.<sup>[[#cite_note-6|[6]]]</sup>

Standard black mulberry trees can be slow to begin cropping, with around eight years often given as a garden expectation. Named compact varieties may fruit sooner, so cultivar timing should not be treated as a species-wide schedule.<sup>[[#cite_note-6|[6]]]</sup> In the UK example, the main harvest is August and September; local season dates shift with climate and spring temperatures.<sup>[[#cite_note-6|[6]]]</sup> Pick lower fruits individually, or collect from larger trees by shaking ripe fruit onto a clean sheet.<sup>[[#cite_note-6|[6]]]</sup>