martin, 

have you had chance to taste those yet? 

bump. just ordered Noire de Spain mulberry. life is good :) 

I'm curious as well.

I'm ordering mulberries this year too, and haven't found as much information on this cultivar as I would like.

For example, how does Noire compare with Black Beauty?  Sorta moot though, the place I was thinking of ordering doesn't have Black Beauty, but does have the Noire...so already leaning that way. :)

Morus Nigra doesn't really have varieties.  It's a liger.  So all of the varieties are essentially sports of one another.

depends on who you talk to both are the best. then there is Pakistan which is huge. and Ill Everybearing.. i decided to go with container culture on the mulberry and Noir de Spain seems to be smaller and it's M. nigra, supposed to be better tasting than the alba and other thing.. the red. 

Martin does, does have 'white' mulberries - surprise anyone ?!?
Welcome to the light side...

Perhaps it's a Ying / Yang thing.  :S

Shah, are you saying there is not much (any) difference in M.nigra varieties?

burnt ridge nursery. not sure how good they are, but they have 1 gal Noir de Spain mulberry for $20. if you order with other stuff, shipping is less of a burden. i got 4 blueberries with it. 

James, that is what I'm led to believe.  At any rate, when discussions about different varieties come up, people usually say they are very similar.

martin, 

any update on your Noir de Spain? 

Not Martin but,

I have a Morus Nigra “Black Beauty” cultivar. Planted in ground spring 2013.  I checked it a few days ago seems to have handled 1F this winter without dieback, but will know in a month or so. It did not seem bothered by my southeast heat and humidity last summer which surprised me.  I have several other cultivars, but only the one Nigra I believe. Illinois Everbearing, Pakistan and (Geraldi/Gerardi/Girardi  dwarf. I have seen it spelled as 3 ways) in ground as well. I think the Pakistan has taken some freeze damage.  Going into ground this spring will be Shangri La, Middleton, Kokuso No. 20, and Wassica and 4  I picked up at Just Fruits and Exotics as lost Label mystery trees, so I at least knowing what cultivars they stock I might ID at some time.  Expecting some additional cultivar from USDA Davis.  If anyone wants to trade some cutting of 'Kaester', 'Noir of Spain', or 'King James'  I would be interested, probably have all I listed above at least for a few cuttings, , if they have not broken dormancy in my garage. I did notice some were swelling bud. Some were just cuttings this time last year. Not 100% on Black Beauty as It is small and already promised the cuttings I took there.   I know I have Illinois Everbearing, Pakistan cuttings in the fridge.

Strudel, I sent a message to you.

martin, it seems there are lot of conflicting information regarding hardiness of NdS mulberry and Black Beauty mulberry. both are M. nigra. i'm not finding much of any  information NdS, but i heard someone keeping BB in VA that will go down to 10F, and producing nicely.. i think i read that in GW. there were ton of BB last yr, but it seems no one's selling BB this yr. i'm planning to keep NdS in 20 gal as final pot. 

Pete you can call Lucile at Whitmans Farms and inquire about BB but i do not see it on her website.
Maybe she can give you some information about it ?
This is where i ordered the Noire from as she claim its her best tasting mulberry but not hardy below Z7 and of course like figs
its all about personal palate.

Just went in garage and looked at it and can tell it will make it thru its dormancy, top 3 inches or so on
the tallest branch is dried out but rest are very flexible and dark colored buds that are closed have swelled
 similar to when it was beginning to wake up when it was shipped to me last season dormant.

Will sneak up on it before it wakes up and slip out of 10g container to look at its roots without it knowing it. ; )

hey martin, i sent some emails around. it seems BB won't be around till next fall. i'm not sure if i'm gong to order them now. have a source that i'm going to trade cuttings with. maybe the cutting will strike. i'll be using bottom heat and hormone on these. 

There you go Pete its all about having fun.
Life is short .