Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Shahtoot Mulberry (Morus macroura)cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called Shahtoot Mulberry, Long Mulberry, King White Mulberry, Afghan Mulberry.

More about shahtoot mulberry

About Shahtoot Mulberry

Morus macroura · also called Shahtoot Mulberry, Long Mulberry · edible

Shahtoot Mulberry is prized across South and Central Asia for its exceptionally long, sweet, white to pink fruits that can reach 5–8 cm — among the largest of any mulberry. A fast-growing deciduous tree, it is widely cultivated from Afghanistan to India and Pakistan. The fruits are intensely sweet, low in acid, and eaten fresh, dried, or as sherbet.

Cold limit: USDA 7-11 · RHS H3 (-10 to 42°C)

Watch for — Cold damage in temperate climates: Morus macroura is less cold-hardy than M. alba or M. nigra and young shoots can be damaged by late frosts. Protect with horticultural fleece during cold snaps, and in USDA zones 7–8 grow against a warm wall. In the UK, grow in a pot that can be moved under glass in winter.

What shahtoot mulberry's hardiness rating actually means

Shahtoot Mulberry is half-hardy (RHS H3). It survives a mild winter outdoors in a sheltered spot, but a hard frost kills it — so in colder zones it is lifted, potted, or grown as a tender plant. Its RHS rating of H3 means: Half-hardy — comes through mild UK winters outside but is killed by a hard freeze. On the US scale that maps to USDA 7-11 — the zones where it can be left outdoors year-round.

New to these scales? The USDA hardiness zone map explained covers how the zone numbers work, and you can find your own zone with the zone finder.

Minimum temperature — and what happens below it

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about −5 to 1 °C — a light, short frost only. Shahtoot Mulberry shrugs off cold nights but a real, sustained freeze will kill it.

Concretely, for shahtoot mulberry as it gets too cold:

Down to roughly about −5 to 1 °C it copes, especially if dry and sheltered.
A sustained hard frost collapses the top growth; whether it returns depends on whether the roots, crown or tubers froze.
Wet cold is far more lethal than dry cold for this plant — soggy, frozen soil is the usual killer.

Can shahtoot mulberry go outside or overwinter — and where?

It can live outside year-round only in the mildest, most sheltered part of USDA 7-11 or a frost-free UK microclimate.
In colder zones, grow it in a pot you can move under cover, or lift its tubers/roots and store them frost-free over winter.
A south-facing wall, free-draining soil and a dry winter position can push it a full zone hardier than the books suggest.

Work back from your local frost dates with the frost-date calculator: the last spring frost and first autumn frost are what really decide when shahtoot mulberry can be outside. US growers can check USDA zones; UK growers should use the RHS hardiness ratings, which match the H3 figure above.

Frost protection for borderline shahtoot mulberry

Shahtoot Mulberry is right on a hardiness edge in many gardens, so if you are pushing it, these measures buy it the margin it needs:

Mulch the crown or root zone deeply with bark, straw or leaf-mould before the first hard frost.
Move container plants against a warm wall or into an unheated but frost-free porch or greenhouse.
Fleece the top growth on the coldest nights, and keep it on the dry side — dry roots survive cold far better than wet ones.
Lift dahlia-type tubers or tender crowns after the first light frost blackens the foliage and store them somewhere cool but frost-free.

Shahtoot Mulberry hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is shahtoot mulberry cold hardy?

Shahtoot Mulberry is half-hardy (RHS H3). It survives a mild winter outdoors in a sheltered spot, but a hard frost kills it — so in colder zones it is lifted, potted, or grown as a tender plant. Borderline outdoors. In its mild end of USDA 7-11 (and sheltered UK gardens) shahtoot mulberry can stay out; in colder areas it must be lifted, brought in, or treated as a frost-tender plant.

What is the minimum temperature shahtoot mulberry can survive?

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about −5 to 1 °C — a light, short frost only. Shahtoot Mulberry shrugs off cold nights but a real, sustained freeze will kill it.

What hardiness zone is shahtoot mulberry?

Shahtoot Mulberry is rated USDA 7-11 and RHS H3 — Half-hardy — comes through mild UK winters outside but is killed by a hard freeze.

Can shahtoot mulberry survive winter outside?

It can live outside year-round only in the mildest, most sheltered part of USDA 7-11 or a frost-free UK microclimate. In colder zones, grow it in a pot you can move under cover, or lift its tubers/roots and store them frost-free over winter. A south-facing wall, free-draining soil and a dry winter position can push it a full zone hardier than the books suggest.

How do I protect shahtoot mulberry from frost?

Mulch the crown or root zone deeply with bark, straw or leaf-mould before the first hard frost. Move container plants against a warm wall or into an unheated but frost-free porch or greenhouse. Fleece the top growth on the coldest nights, and keep it on the dry side — dry roots survive cold far better than wet ones. Lift dahlia-type tubers or tender crowns after the first light frost blackens the foliage and store them somewhere cool but frost-free.